MA 


Morris 


Columbia  (Hntor  raitp 
mtljeCttpofHrttjgark 

THE    LIBHARIES 


Bequest  of 

Frederic  Bancroft 

1860-1945 


I    im.  1-*     f 


THE  LIFE 


Rev.  THOMAS  A.  MORRIS,  D.D., 


3Latc  .Senior  Bishop  of  tijc  iVUtijofcist  Episcopal  ©fjuni). 


REV.  JOHN  F.  MARLAY,  A.  M. 


AN   INTRODUCTION;  W  '3J,S>iC>P';E.  S.  JANES. 


-6®g:-je«- 


CI  NCI  N  N  ATI: 
HITCHCOCK    AND    WALDEN 

NEW    YORK: 
NELSON    AND    PHILLIPS. 

1875- 


« 


93*6 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1874, 

BY  HITCHCOCK  &  WALDEN, 
In  the  Office ^of  the.kibrarian  0/  Congress, fit  Washington. 


C3 
3 


PREFACE. 


It  was  the  wish  of  Bishop  Morris  that  the  story  of 
his  life  should  be  written  by  his  friend  and  colleague,  the 
late  lamented  Bishop  Clark,  who  had  not  only  consented 
to  undertake  the  work,  but  had  made  considerable  pro- 
gress in  gathering  material  for  it,  when  failing  health, 
together  with  the  incessant  cares  and  exacting  duties  of 
the  Episcopal  office,  compelled  him  to  relinquish  the 
engagement.  At  his  request,  and  under  his  appointment, 
as  literary  executor  of  Bishop  Morris,  I  have  endeavored 
to  carry  out  his  original  plan  of  the  work  as  nearly  as 
possible.  I  very  much  regret  that  Bishop  Clark  did  not 
live  to  give  the  volume  the  careful  supervision  of  his 
experienced  and  skillful  pen.  It  is  a  satisfaction,  how- 
ever, to  be  able  to  state  that  the  earlier  chapters,  com- 
pleted about  a  year  before  his  death,  and  submitted  to 
his  inspection,  met  his  cordial  and  generous  approval. 

The  materials  used  in  the  preparation  of  this  memoir 
were,  chiefly,  a  brief  sketch  of  his  early  life  written  by 
Bishop  Morris  himself,  coming  down  to  the  time  of  his 
election  to  the   Episcopacy,   with   a  mere   outline  of  his 


4  PREFACE. 

subsequent  history,  and  his  volume,  entitled  "Miscel- 
lany," a  book  of  essays  and  notes  of  travel.  These 
traveling  letters  appeared  originally,  many  years  ago,  in 
the  Western  Christian  Advocate,  and  are  among  the  very 
best  specimens  of  their  author's  terse  and  vigorous  style 
as  a  writer.  In  weaving  them  into  a  connected  story  of 
his  life,  however,  it  was  found  necessary  to  omit  large 
portions  altogether,  and  to  exercise  a  good  deal  of  edito- 
rial freedom  in  adapting  the  rest. 

One  or  two  discourses  occupy  larger  space  in  the  biog- 
raphy than  seemed  at  first  desirable;  and  yet,  upon 
reflection,  they  were  found  to  be  so  identified  with  the 
life  and  public  services  of  Bishop  Morris,  that  it  was 
deemed  best  to  insert  them  without  much  abridgment. 

The  life  of  the  late  senior  bishop  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church  was  a  remarkable  one,  not  only  for 
its  eminent  and  extended  usefulness,  but  for  its  early 
hardships,  stirring  incidents,  and  strange  adventures;  and 
if  it  were  fully  and  adequately  set  forth,  would  make  a 
much  larger  as  well  as  more  interesting  volume  than  this. 
I  have  simply  attempted  to  make  the  best  possible  use 
of  the  meagre  material  available.  And  it  now  only 
remains  for  me  to  submit  the  volume,  with  all  its  imper- 
fections, to  the  charitable  judgment  of  the  public. 

J.  F.  MARLAY. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  1 9 

Place  and  Date  of  Birth— Education— Religious  Training— 
Under  Conviction  of  Sin  —  Joins  the  Church  —  Conver- 
sion— Appointed  Class-leader  —  Licensed  as  Exhorter  — 
Local  Preacher — First  Sermon — Rev.  David  Young — Mar- 
riage— Settlement — Circuit  Preaching. 

CHAPTER  II 33 

Circuit  Work — Call  to  the  Ministry— Views  Concerning  the 
Ministerial  Office — Ordained  Deacon — Conference  at  Steu- 
benville — Appointed  to  Zanesville  Circuit  —  Ordained 
Elder — Transfer  to  Kentucky— Christian  Circuit — Procur- 
ing Supplies — Style  of  Preaching. 

CHAPTER  III 66 

Itinerant  Labors — Hardships  and  Perils — Odd  Mistake — Con- 
ference at  Maysville,  Kentucky — Elected  to  General  Con- 
ference of  1824 — Jesse  Walker — His  Mission  in  St.  Louis — 
Session  of  General  Conference  —  Conference  at  Shelby- 
ville — Appointed  to  Red-river  Circuit,  Tennessee — Confer- 
ence of  1825 — Presiding  Elder — Green-river  District. 

CHAPTER  IV 94 

Home  at  Elkton — Stationed  in  Louisville — Quarterly-meeting 
at  Frankfort — Preaching  under  Difficulties — General  Con- 
ference of  1828 — "Radical  Controversy" — Canada  Meth- 
odism— Transfer  to  Ohio — Appointed  to  Lebanon  Circuit — 
Columbus — Conference  of  183 1 — Appointed  to  Cincinnati 
Station — A  Year  of  Calamity — Great  Revival. 

5 


6  CONTENTS. 

PAGR 

CHAPTER  V 120 

General  Conference  of  1832 — Narrow  Escape — Ohio  Confer- 
ence of  1833 — Appointed  Presiding  Elder — Western  Chris- 
tian Advocate  Established  —  Elected  Editor  —  Methodist 
Periodicals — Editorial  on  "The  Press" — General  Confer- 
ence of  1S36 — Elected  Bishop — His  Account  of  the  Election. 

CHAPTER  VI 140 

First  Episcopal  Labors  —  On  Horseback  —  In  Tennessee — 
Beyond  the  Mississippi — In  the  Swamp — Among  the  Con- 
ferences— Threats  of  Violence — On  Steamboat — "Lean  vs. 
Fat" — Illness  of  his  Wife — Southern  Tour. 

CHAPTER  VII 163 

General  Conference  of  1840 — Contemplates  a  Resignation  of 
the  Episcopal  Office — Publishes  a  Volume  of  Sermons — On 
to  Texas — Incidents  of  the  Journey — Encamping  for  the 
Night — Arkansas — Route  through  the  State — In  the  Wil- 
derness— Texas  Conference — Martin  Ruter. 

CHAPTER  VIII 188 

Return  Home — At  Austin — Death  of  Mrs.  Morris — Sketch  of 
her  Life  and  Character — Episcopal  Visits — Death  of  his 
Daughter,  Mrs.  Rust — SUetch  of  her  Life — Conferences 
Attended. 

CHAPTER  IX 208 

General  Conference  of  1844 — The  Vexed  Question — Case  of 
Bishop  Andrew  —  Marriage  —  Charge  of  Slaveholding — 
In  the  Indian  Territory — Indian  Mission  Conference — 
Preaching  Tour — Louisville  Convention — Disruption  of  the 
Church — "Hints  to  Young  Men" — Episcopal  Tours  for 
1847 — Fast-day  Sermon — Birthday  Thoughts. 

CHAPTER  X 230 

General  Conference  of  1848 — Official  Tour — Aboard  the  Steam- 
boat— Tour  to  the  East — A  Crowded  Coach — Conferences — 
Memorial  of  the  Bishops  about  the  Wyandot  Mission — 
Conferences  for  1850  and  1851 — Securing  a  Home — Tour 
to  the  East. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  XI.  251 

General  Conference  of  1852  —  Election  of  New  Bishops — 
Account  of  Trip  East — Hotel  Inconveniences — Rev.  Joshua 
Wells — Travels — Journey  to  Arkansas — Rev.  James  Axley — 
His  Temperance  Sermon — Conferences  of  1855. 

CHAPTER  XII 273 

General  Conference  of  1856 — Changes  in  the  Discipline — Con- 
ferences Attended — Rev.  David  Young — Death  of  Bishop 
Waugh — Tour  to  the  North-west — Railroad  Miseries — 
Conference  Sessions — Methodist  Church  Polity. 

CHAPTER  XIII 300 

General  Conference  of  i860 — Commemoration  Services — Re- 
moval to  Springfield,  Ohio — An  Interesting  Gift — Illness 
of  Mrs.  Morris — Plan  of  Reading — Conferences  Held — 
Patriotism — Conferences  for  1862 — Study  of  the  Disci- 
pline— "Pulpit  Force" — Complimentary  Resolutions. 

CHAPTER  XIV 324 

General  Conference  of  1864 — Patriotic  Religious  Services — 
Address  to  President  Lincoln — Election  of  New  Bishops — 
Union  Chapel  Case— The  Bishop's  Action — Letter  to  the 
Official  Board — Report  of  Committee  in  General  Confer- 
ence—  Relieved  of  Episcopal  Labors  —  Semi-centennial 
Sermon. 

CHAPTER  XV 357 

General  Conference  of  1868 — Superannuation — Birthday  Reflec- 
tions— Mrs.  Lucy  Morris — Illness  and  Death — Sketch  of 
her  Character — General  Conference  of  1872 — Marriage — 
Letter  to  the  Cincinnati  Conference,  1874 — Response  to 
Letter — Death — Funeral  Addresses — Burial. 

CHAPTER  XVI 388 

An  Estimate  of  the  Bishop's  Life  and  Character — Personal 
Traits — Mental  Culture — Characteristics — As  a  Presiding 
Officer— Modesty— Religious  and  Political  Views— Affec- 
tional  Nature — Personal  Religious  Experience. 


Would  I  describe  a  preacher,  such  as  Paul, 
AYere  he  on  earth,  would  hear,  approve,  and  own, 
Paul  should  himself  direct  me.     I  would  trace 
His  master- strokes,  and  draw  from  his  design. 
I  would  express  him  simple,  grave,  sincere  ; 
In  doctrine  uncorrupt ;  in  language  plain, 
And  plain  in  manner;  decent,  solemn,  chaste, 
And  natural  in  gesture  ;  much  impressed 
Himself,  as  conscious  of  his  awful  charge, 
And  anxious  mainly  that  the  flock  he  feeds 
May  feel  it  too  ;  affectionate  in  look, 
And  tender  in  address,  as  well  becomes 
A  messenger  of  grace  to  guilty  men." 

Cowper's  Task  :   The  Time-piece. 


INTRODUCTION 


"The  righteous  shall  be  in  everlasting  remembrance." 
This  passage  of  Holy  Scripture  expresses  the  mind  of  God 
in  reference  to  the  remembrance  of  the  good.  It  is  his 
will  and  purpose  that  their  memory  shall  be  perpetuated, 
shall  be  everlasting.  The  sentiment  and  practice  of  man- 
kind in  all  ages,  and  in  all  generations,  has  been  in  accord 
with  this  divine  declaration ;  with  this  difference,  that 
men  have  not  been  careful  to  confine  their  memorials  to 
the  righteous,  but  have  often  sought  to  keep  in  the  public 
mind  the  names  of  wicked  men.  Men  have  often  en- 
deavored to  insure  their  remembrance  after  their  death  by 
erecting  monuments  to  themselves  while  they  were  living. 
Nations  have  frequently  erected  monuments  to  their  most 
eminent  statesmen  and  illustrious  heroes.  The  people  of 
this  country  are  building  one  to  Washington,  and  have  just 
dedicated  one  to  Lincoln.  Marble  and  brass  and  bronze 
are,  however,  at  a  discount  in  this  office  of  immortalizing 
men.  They  are  rendered  comparatively  useless  by  the 
book.  Monuments  can  only  bear  a  name  or  briefly  state  an 
event  or  two  in  the  life  of  the  person.     The  detailed  history 


ii  INTRODUCE 

of  the  man  must  be  left  to  tradition,  and  soon  become  un- 
reliable. The  book  gives  a  full  statement  of  the  character, 
and  a  complete  record  of  the  actions  of  him  whom  it  com- 
memorates. The  monument  can  be  in  but  one  place,  and 
be  seen  by  only  a  favored  few.  The  book  can  be  carried 
all  over  the  land,  and  placed  in  the  homes  and  hands 
of  the  multitude.  No  man  knoweth  of  the  sepulcher 
of  Moses  unto  this  day;  yet  no  human  name  or  no 
human  history  is  better  preserved  than  is  his.  His  fame 
is  still  spreading  as  far  and  as  fast  as  Christianity  extends. 
Dr.  Coke  found  a  grave  in  the  Indian  Ocean;  no  marble 
column  marks  his  resting-place,  no  brass  tablet  records 
the  incidents  of  his  eventful  life;  yet  the  remembrance  of 
him  shall  endure  as  long  as  ocean  waves  lave  the  shore, 
or  ocean  murmurs  chant  his  requiem,  for  the  book  has 
chronicled  the  nobleness  of  his  character,  and  the  devotion 
and  usefulness  of  his  life.  The  book  transcends  in  fitness 
and  efficiency  all  other  memorials  of  the  dead.  Biography 
is  consequently  one  of  the  most  important  departments  of 
literature. 

Bishop  Morris  was  a  man  eminently  worthy  of  such  a 
memorial.  A  well  executed  life  of  this  distinguished 
Christian  minister  can  not  fail  to  be  edifying  to  the  Church, 
and  especially  to  his  brethren  in  the  ministry.  Such  a 
biography  is  contained  in  this  volume;  in  my  opinion  the 
work  has  been  prepared  with  good  judgment  and  much 
skill.  The  portraiture  of  the  Bishop's  character  is  very  ac- 
curately  drawn.      The   incidents  of  his   life    are    given    in 


INTRODUCTION.  Ill 

sufficient  detail,  and  make  the  volume  exceedingly  inter- 
esting and  instructive;  it  will  please  the  young  as  well  as 
the  experienced  reader.  The  biographer  could  not  give 
an  account  of  Mr.  Morris  as  minister,  editor,  and  bishop, 
without  giving  something  of  the  history  of  the  Church 
during  the  period  of  his  active  official  life.  He  was  a 
prominent  actor  in  many  of  the  important  events  which 
occurred  while  he  was  holding  these  positions  of  trust  and 
influence.  The  trials,  triumphs,  and  progress  of  the 
Church  for  the  last  fifty  years,  thus  incidentally  given,  are 
of  great  value.  The  memoir  is  worthy  of  a  place  in 
every  Methodist  minister's  study,  and  every  Methodist 
Sunday-school  library. 

Having  been  for  more  than  thirty  years  associated 
with  Bishop  Morris  in  the  general  superintendency  of 
the  Church,  I  became  most  tenderly  attached  to  him. 
During  this  time  I  had  a  good  opportunity  of  learning 
his  great  worth.  I  often  saw  him  in  circumstances  that 
severely  taxed  his  wisdom,  and  sorely  tried  his  Christian 
graces.  I  have  known  him  at  conferences,  when  greatly 
perplexed  in  making  the  appointments,  spend  nearly  a 
whole  night  in  prayer  for  divine  guidance  and  help.  At 
one  of  his  conferences,  when  he  was  greatly  distressed  at 
the  state  of  the  appointments,  he  spent  almost  the  whole 
of  two  nights  in  crying  to  God  for  his  interposition.  On 
the  morning  following  this  second  night  of  prayer,  before 
breakfast,  the  two  brethren  whose  cases  were  the  most 
troublesome,  came  to  him,  and  proposed  to  take  appoint- 


rv  INTRODUCTION. 

ments  which  greatly  relieved  his  embarrassments.  The 
Bishop  always  believed  they  were  divinely  moved  to  do 
this  in  answer  to  prayer.  In  good  judgment,  prudence, 
and  patience,  and  tender  regard  for  both  the  feelings  and. 
interests  of  the  preachers  under  his  care,  he  was  like  his 
associate,  Bishop  Hedding.  It  grieved  him  deeply  to  dis- 
appoint the  expectations  or  deny  the  wishes  of  either 
Churches  or  ministers  He  was  a  very  loving  and  con- 
siderate colleague.  His  associates  could  always  trust  both 
his  head  and  his  heart.  Notwithstanding  his  great  age 
and   long  infirmities,  we  all  felt  deeply  bereaved    by  his 

death. 

"O  may  we  all  like  him,  believe, 

And  keep  the  faith,  and  win  the  prize  ! 
Father,  prepare,  and  then  receive 
Our  hallow'd  spirits  to  the  skies, 
To  chant  with  all  our  friends  above, 
Thy  glorious,  everlasting  love." 

E.  S  JANES. 


LIFE  OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

INCIDENTS  OF  EARLY  LIFE AWAKENING  AND  CONVERSION 

CALL  TO  THE  MINISTRY ENTERS  OHIO 

CONFERENCE. 

THOMAS  A.  MORRIS  was  born  April  28,  1794, 
in  Kanawha  County,  Virginia,  five  miles  above 
Charleston  on  the  west  side  of  the  Kanawha  River. 
His  parents,  John  and  Margaret  Morris,  were  both 
natives  of  Virginia — the  former  of  Culpepper,  and 
the  latter  of  Augusta  County.  They  belonged  to  the 
first  band  of  heroic  and  enterprising  pioneers  who  set- 
tled on  the  Great  Kanawha  River,  about  the  year 
1 785,  where,  besides  the  ordinary  difficulties  incident 
to  new  countries,  they  passed  through  all  the  perils 
and  excitements  of  an  Indian  war,  in  the  progress  of 
which  many  of  the  whites  were  killed  by  the  savages. 
Wayne's  treaty,  in  1795,  at  length  gave  peace  to  the 
settlers.  The  house  in  which  the  Morris  family  re- 
sided stood  on  a  beautiful  swell  of  ground,  near  a  never- 
failing  spring  of  pure  water,  commanding  a  fine  view 
of  picturesque  scenery  for  many  miles  up  and  down 

9 


10  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

the  river.  It  was  a  pleasant  rural  home,  embowered 
in  orchard  and  forest  trees,  far  removed  from  the  noise 
and  unhealthy  excitement  of  city  life.  Thomas  be- 
longed to  a  family  of  eleven  children.  His  parents 
lived  to  a  good  old  age,  and  at  length,  after  a  happy 
union  of  forty  years,  died  nearly  at  the  same  time,  in 
1818,  both  possessed  of  a  good  hope  of  eternal  life. 

The  early  days  of  young  Morris  were  happily 
passed  amid  the  wild  and  romantic  scenery  of  his 
mountain  home.  Late  in  life  he  was  fond  of  relating 
how,  in  his  extreme  youth,  he  delighted  to  chase  the 
butterfly  over  the  hills,  construct  tiny  boats  to  float 
down  the  rivulets  that  flowed  through  green  pas- 
tures, to  hunt  with  his  rude  bow  and  arrow  through 
the  forests,  and,  in  Winter,  trap  the  redbird  and  the 
quail.  His  father,  however,  being  an  industrious 
farmer,  soon  found  other  and  more  important  work 
for  the  son.  With  his  little  hoe  he  was  taught  to  la- 
bor in  the  fields,  and  in  harvest  time  he  was  employed 
as  a  bearer  of  sheaves.  During  the  Winter  he  as- 
sisted in  the  care  of  the  "stock,"  and  seems  to  have 
been  especially  pleased  with  the  duty  of  a  shepherd. 

When  Thomas  was  ten  years  old,  the  family  re- 
moved from  this  beautiful  home  to  a  place  about  forty 
miles  west,  in  Cabell  County,  on  the  State  road  lead- 
ing to  Kentucky.  Here  again  they  endured  the  hard- 
ships, toils,  and  privations  inseparably  connected  with 
the  settlement  of  a  new  country.  Clearing  away  the 
forest,  inclosing  the  ground  and  bringing  it  under 
cultivation  from  a  state  of  nature,  with  the  erection 
of  the  necessary  buildings,  required,  of  course,  a  great 
deal  of  hard  labor;  and  having  but  a  small  force  for 


EARL  Y  ED  UCA  T10N.  1 1 

carrying   it  on,  they  had  for  years  to  exert  all  their 
energies  to  improve  and  keep  up  the  farm. 

The  means  of  education  were  very  limited  at  that 
early  day  throughout  the  Western  States  and  Terri- 
tories, and  especially  in  the  north-western  part  of 
Virginia,  where  the  Morris  family  resided.  Teachers 
were  few  in  number,  and  for  the  most  part  ill  quali- 
fied for  their  work;  nor  were  the  most  competent  of 
them  in  very  good  demand,  for  many  of  the  early  set- 
tlers of  that  wild  region  cared  little  for  books,  so  they 
could  but  obtain  plenty  of  fresh  land,  good  range  for 
their  stock,  and  an  abundance  of  game.  Still  there  were 
schools;  not  continuing,  however,  longer  than  "one 
quarter"  of  the  year,  and  that  always  in  the  Winter, 
when  boys  could  best  be  spared  from  the  farm.  By 
such  limited  means,  the  children  of  that  day,  on  the 
frontiers,  obtained  what  little  knowledge  of  books  they 
possessed  ;  nor  was  it  generally  deemed  important 
that  the  course  of  study  be  very  extensive  or  thorough. 
To  master  Dilworth's  Spelling-book,  learn  to  read  the 
New  Testament,  cypher  to  the  "rule  of  three,"  and 
write  a  fair  round  hand,  was  regarded  as  quite  an  ac- 
complished education,  and  ample  for  all  the  practical 
purposes  of  life.  This  "  curriculum "  Thomas  had 
passed  through  creditably  by  the  time  he  reached  his 
eighteenth  year.  About  that  time  he  became  a  mem- 
ber of  the  first  grammar-class  ever  organized  in  Cab- 
ell County.  It  was  taught  by  Mr.  William  Paine,  a 
native  of  England,  a  thoroughly  competent  teacher, 
and  an  earnest  Methodist.  This  worthy  old  gentle- 
man, besides  performing  his  professional  duties,  gave 
his    pupils    many   sound   moral    lessons,   and,  though 


12  LIFE    OF  BISHOP   MORRIS. 

gathered  to  his  fathers  long  years  ago,  his  memory  is 
cherished  fondly  by  all  his  surviving  students. 

When  young  Morris  was  about  seventeen  years  old, 
his  eldest  brother,  Edmund,  who  held  the  clerkship 
of  Cabell  County,  made  him  his  deputy,  and  he  ac- 
cordingly left  the  farm  to  enter  upon  the  duties  of  his 
office.  This  position  he  held  for  nearly  four  years, 
except  about  six  months  spent  in  school.  The  clerk's 
office  proved  to  be,  in  many  respects,  an  advantageous 
position  ;  here  the  young  deputy  acquired  much  use- 
ful information  concerning  business  transactions,  as 
well  as  an  easy,  rapid  use  of  the  pen.  But  the  sud- 
den transition  from  out-door  labor  to  the  confinement 
of  an  office  seriously  impaired  his  health.  His  nerv- 
ous system  became  deranged,  renderings  him  feeble 
and  timid.  When  he  left  the  farm,  but  few  of  his 
years  in  all  the  neighborhood  were  more  athletic  or 
courageous.  It  had  been  his  habit  for  years  to  trav- 
erse mountains  and  valleys  at  all  hours  of  the  dark- 
est nights,  unaccompanied  save  by  his  faithful  hunt- 
ing dogs,  unawed  by  the  prowling  wolf  or  the  dangers 
of  the  forest.  But  after  his  health  declined,  he  was 
not  only  nervous  and  feeble,  but  fearful  and  depressed 
in  mind,  losing  all  relish  for  his  former  exciting  and 
adventurous  sports  and  pursuits.  A  few  months  after 
his  eighteenth  birthday,  and  while  in  this  feeble  state 
of  health,  he  was  one  of  a  company  of  drafted  militia, 
to  perform  a  six-months'  tour  in  the  North  against 
the  British  and  Indians.  On  the  day  appointed,  the 
company  assembled  at  the  court-house,  formed  into 
"messes,"  shouldered  their  knapsacks,  and  started  on 
the    march    to    join    a    regiment    forming    at    Point 


DEPUTY  CLERK.  I  3 

Pleasant,  and  intended  to  re-enforce  the  main  army 
near  the  Canada  line.  When  they  took  leave  of  their 
friends,  who  had  assembled  at  the  court-house  in 
great  numbers  to  witness  their  departure,  many  of 
these  raw  recruits,  as  well  as  the  lookers-on,  were 
visibly  and  deeply  affected.  The  father  of  Morris, 
though  himself  an  old  soldier,  could  not  check  his  fast- 
falling  tears,  as  he  looked  upon  the  emaciated  form 
and  youthful  face  of  his  child.  But  the  farewells 
were  spoken,  and  the  march  commenced.  On  the 
morning  of  the  second  day's  march,  however,  great 
was  the  surprise  of  young  Morris  at  being  overtaken 
by  his  brother  William  with  a  substitute,  whom  his 
father  had  hired  to  take  the  son's  place.  To  turn 
back  so  early  in  the  campaign  was  not  agreeable  to 
his  feelings,  but,  under  all  the  circumstances,  seemed 
a  duty,  and  he  reluctantly  consented  to  the  arrange- 
ment. 

While  connected  with  the  clerk's  office,  it  was 
part  of  his  business  to  attend  to  all  the  lower  and 
higher  courts  of  the  county,  by  which  means  he  be- 
came well  acquainted  with  the  lawyers  who  practiced 
in  these  courts.  This  circumstance,  together  with 
an  ardent  ambition  to  occupy  a  position  of  usefulness 
and  respectability  in  society,  inclined  him  to  choose 
the  law  as  a  profession.  Three  formidable  difficul- 
ties, however,  were  in  the  way  of  carrying  out  that 
purpose, — imperfect  education,  the  limited  means  of 
improving  it  in  any  of  the  schools  accessible,  and  an 
extraordinary  diffidence.  The  first  two  obstacles,  he 
thought,  might  be  overcome  by  industry  and  a  sys- 
tematic employment  of  his  spare  hours  ;  the  last,  his 


14  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORI? IS. 

friends  assured  him,  would  soon  pass  away.  In  his 
later  years  he  was  often  heard  to  say  that  the  un- 
common diffidence  and  timidity  of  his  youth  never 
wholly  left  him,  and  that,  although  a  public  speaker 
from  his  youth  to  an  advanced  age,  he  scarcely  ever 
stood  before  an  audience  without  embarrassment. 

The  parents  of  Morris  were  pious  and  devoted 
members  of  the  Baptist  Church,  and  had  given  much 
attention  to  the  early  religious  training  of  their  chil- 
dren. From  the  days  of  his  childhood,  Thomas  had 
had  occasional  seasons  of  deep  religious  feeling,  and 
many  serious  thoughts  of  death  and  eternity.  His 
own  record  shows  that  he  was  scarcely  ever  without 
a  conviction  of  his  lost  and  sinful  condition,  and  that 
from  very  early  childhood  he  took  a  deep  interest  in 
every  thing  pertaining  to  the  worship  of  God.  But 
there  were  radical  defects  in  his  early  religious  train- 
ing. His  parents  did  not  consider  it  their  duty  to 
encourage  their  children  to  make  a  public  profession 
of  faith  in  Christ.  And,  what  was  still  worse,  though 
they  were  unusually  strict  members  of  their  Church, 
for  that  country  and  in  that  day,  they  allowed  their 
children  to  go  abroad  on  the  Sabbath,  and,  to  a  great 
extent,  select  their  own  company  and  amusements, 
as  did  their  brethren  and  neighbors  generally.  Young 
people  thus  left  to  themselves  naturally  grew  up  in 
the  belief  that,  although  they  were  bound  to  labor 
six  days  of  the  week,  the  Sabbath  was  their  own  day, 
a  holiday,  to  be  spent  where  and  how  they  pleased. 

Under  these  circumstances,  young  Morris  stifled 
his  convictions  of  sin,  gradually  lost  his  desire  to  be- 
come  a   Christian,   and    learned   many   evil  practices 


SKEPTICAL    VIEWS.  1 5 

while  yet  a  youth.  Being  naturally  of  a  sedate, 
thoughtful  appearance,  and  always  quite  reserved  in 
the  presence  of  his  seniors,  he  bore  the  reputation  of 
being  remarkably  exemplary  in  his  boyhood,  while 
his  own  conscience  assured  him  that  he  was  far  from 
the  kingdom,  abiding  under  the  wrath  of  God. 

So  matters  stood  with  him  when  he  left  the  home 
of  his  youth,  and  passed  from  under  the  restraints  of 
parental  authority. 

About  this  time,  under  the  influence  of  older  and 
more  intelligent  persons,  his  mind  became  poisoned 
with  skeptical  opinions,  which  he  seems  to  have 
adopted  rather  as  an  apology  for  his  impiety  than  as 
the  result  of  careful  investigation.  His  was  a  case 
of  bewildered  skepticism,  and  never  of  confirmed  in- 
fidelity. He  did  not  publicly  avow  his  unbelief,  or 
seek  in  any  way  to  harm  the  cause  of  Christianity — 
for  in  his  worst  days  the  fear  of  God  was  not  wholly 
removed  from  his  mind — nor  did  he  question  the  sin- 
cerity of  Christians,  or  doubt  their  happiness,  how- 
ever much  they  might  be  mistaken. 

In  this  state  of  mind  he  continued  till  his  eight- 
eenth year,  when  the  terrible  concussions  of  the  earth 
which  occurred  during  the  Winter  of  1811-12,  aroused 
his  guilty  conscience,  and  he  became  greatly  troubled 
about  the  future.  There  was,  shortly  afterward,  a 
revival  of  religion  in  the  neighborhood  among  "  the 
people  called  Methodists, "  of  whom  he  knew  but 
little  except  through  the  misrepresentations  of  those 
who  were  prejudiced  against  them.  To  these  meet- 
ings he  went  occasionally,  and  the  general  impression 
made  upon  his  mind    by  all  he  saw  and   heard  was 


1 6  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

favorable.  About  that  time — in  the  Spring  of  1812 — 
he  began  to  take  the  general  subject  of  religion  under 
more  serious  consideration,  and  to  form  resolutions 
to  break  off  from  his  worst  sins,  particularly  the  use 
of  all  improper  words,  but  without  any  fixed  purpose 
of  becoming  pious  at  that  time.  For  one  year  he 
pondered  this  subject  much,  endeavoring  earnestly  to 
reach  a  final  conclusion  on  the  main  question  ;  that 
is,  whether  it  would  be  better  for  him,  all  things  con- 
sidered, to  resolve  on  a  religious  life  or  not.  On  the 
one  hand,  a  Christian  life  appeared  to  be  rational, 
wise,  and  safe,  and  therefore  desirable ;  while  on  the 
other  hand  he  hesitated  to  make  the  necessary  sacri- 
fices of  worldly  plans  and  prospects,  and  feared  to 
forfeit  the  friendship  of  his  gay  and  fashionable  asso- 
ciates. But  that  which  deterred  him  most  of  all  was 
the  fear  of  failure,  and  the  consequent  disgrace  of 
apostasy.  Moreover  his  religious  training  made  him 
slow  to  move  under  any  power  short  of  compulsion, 
not  then  clearly  apprehending  the  important  distinc- 
tion between  coercive  power  and  sufficient  grace 
freely  offered  to  all  men.  Of  this  difficulty  he  was, 
however,  measurably  relieved,  soon  after,  by  a  con- 
versation with  the  Rev.  Samuel  West,  a  Methodist 
preacher,  who  convinced  him  that  his  crude  notions 
on  that  point  were  not  sustained  by  the  Word  of 
God.  The  last  thing  he  gave  up  was  the  purpose  to 
be  a  lawyer,  with  the  various  plans  which  he  deemed 
necessary  for  the  accomplishment  of  that  object. 

Finally,  after  much  reflection  on  the  subject,  it 
was  made  plain  to  his  mind  one  day,  when  alone,  that 
it  would  be  infinitely  better  for  him  to  be  "  little  and 


UNDER  CONVICTION.  1 7 

unknown, "  or  even  despised  and  persecuted  all  his 
1  fe,  and  then  die  in  peace  and  be  saved  in  heaven, 
than  to  carry  out  all  his  plans  of  worldly  gain,  and 
lose  his  soul.  Whereupon  he  resolved,  in  the  name 
and  strength  of  Jesus,  to  halt  no  longer  between  two 
opinions,  but  to  consecrate  his  service  fully  to  the 
living  God.  As  soon  as  this  great  decision  was 
reached,  he  fell  on  his  knees,  and,  for  the  first  time 
in  his  life,  tried  to  pray.  This  was  in  February, 
1813,  and  in  the  nineteenth  year  of  his  age.  To 
kneel  occasionally  in  public  worship,  or  at  the  family 
altar,  as  a  matter  of  form  or  a  mark  of  respect,  had 
been  his  habit  from  childhood  ;  but  to  kneel  before 
God  and  ask  for  mercy,  pardon,  and  salvation,  was 
a  new  thing  entirely.  As  he  did  so  now,  his  feel- 
ings were  peculiar  and  awful.  His  chief  difficulty 
was  the  want  of  that  pungent  conviction  which  is 
so  necessary  in  the  process  of  conversion  ;  nor  could 
he  exercise  that  simple  trust  in  Christ  as  the  only 
and  sufficient  Savior.  For  about  six  months  he 
sought  religion  in  secret,  carefully  concealing  his 
purpose  and  state  of  mind  from  all  his  friends.  But 
this  method  proved  very  troublesome,  as  well  as  un- 
profitable. When  present  at  religious  services  he 
found  it  difficult  to  hide  his  emotion  ;  for  tears,  un- 
bidden, would  often  flow  freely,  as  he  listened  to  the 
fervent  appeal  or  earnest  prayer  of  the  minister.  It 
was  still  more  difficult  to  mingle  with  his  worldly 
associates  without  betraying  the  secret  burden  of  his 
heart. 

A  frank  avowal  of  his  feelings  and  purposes  would 
undoubtedly  have  been  the  wisest  and  safest   course 


1 8  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

at  this  time  ;  but,  not  having  the  moral  courage  to 
come  out  openly  on  the  Lord's  side,  he  was  in  con- 
stant temptation  to  stifle  his  convictions  and  disregard 
the  monitions  of  his  conscience.  And  now  the  con- 
scious failure  to  carry  out  the  resolution  he  had 
taken,  and  the  impression  that  .his  sins  were  fearfully 
augmenting  from  day  to  day,  came  well-nigh  driving 
him  to  despair,  and  for  a  time  he  seriously  meditated 
upon  giving  up  the  struggle. 

In  the  Summer  of  this  year  he  attended  a  camp- 
meeting  in  the  neighborhood,  and  there,  under  a 
sermon  preached  by  Rev.  David  Young,  on  the  "  Par- 
able of  the  Sower,"  his  heart  was  more  thoroughly 
broken  up  than  it  had  ever  been  before.  From  that 
time  he  sought  with  increased  diligence  and  earnest- 
ness ;  secret  prayer  was  his  constant  refuge ;  con- 
viction increased,  godly  sorrow  was  deepened,  and 
the  hope  of  final  success  began  to  revive.  In  a  few 
weeks,  however,  he  found  himself  threatened  with 
the  old  difficulty,  "  the  fear  of  man,  which  bringeth 
a  snare. "  After  much  reflection  on  his  unhappy 
condition  and  the  best  means  of  obtaining  relief,  he 
began  to  consider  seriously  the  question  of  separat- 
ing from  the  world,  and  choosing  God's  people  to 
be  his  people,  as  the  only  probable  method  of  ob- 
taining what  he  so  much  desired, — peace  of  mind,  and 
a  sense  of  God's  favor.  But  here,  too,  was  a  sore 
conflict  to  pass  through.  The  influence  of  early 
religious  training  inclined  him  toward  the  Church  of 
his  ancestors,  while  the  strong  religious  impressions 
received  through  the  instrumentality  of  the  Meth- 
odists   seemed    to  suggest    the    propriety  of    uniting 


DOUBTS  RESOLVED.  1 9 

with  them.  The  fact  that  the  Methodists  were  then 
a  feeble  band,  and  much  persecuted  even  by  other 
religious  denominations,  may  have  somewhat  in- 
creased the  difficulty  of  settling  this  important  ques- 
tion ;  but  Mr.  Morris  determined  to  act  deliberately, 
intelligently,  and  in  the  fear  of  God.  He  borrowed 
a  Methodist  Discipline,  examined  it  thoroughly,  and 
liked  it  well.  He  then  began  to  compare  it  with  the 
New  Testament,  reading  them  alternately.  After 
considerable  time  thus  spent,  he  said  to  himself, 
"  The  Methodists  are  the  Lord's  people,  and  his 
people  shall  be  my  people." 

There  remained,  however,  one  more  difficulty  to  be 
removed.  In  the  early  stages  of  his  religious  awaken- 
ing he  had  concluded,  in  accordance  with  the  views 
entertained  by  his  parents  on  the  subject,  that  it 
would  be  improper  to  unite  with  any  Church  until  he 
had  first  obtained  a  clear  evidence  of  the  pardon  of 
his  sins.  But  the  circumstances  of  his  own  case  had 
nearly  satisfied  him  then,  and  more  fully  convinced 
him  afterward,  that  there  is  no  period  in  the  history 
of  a  man's  life  when  he  so  much  needs  the  help, 
encouragement,  and  protection  of  the  Church,  or 
receives  greater  benefit  from  it,  than  while,  as  a 
humble  penitent,  he  is  seeking  the  salvation  of  his 
soul.  When  at  last  young  Morris  felt  that  he  would 
joyfully  accept  mercy  on  any  terms,  all  his  scruples 
on  the  subject  of  entering  the  Church  as  a  proba- 
tioner were  gone. 

Rev.  Samuel  Brown,  the  preacher  on  the  circuit 
(Guyandott  Circuit,  Ohio  Conference),  had  announced 
that  he   would    preach   his  "  farewell    sermon"  at  his 


20  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

last  appointment  in  the  Morris  neighborhood  some 
time  in  August,  1813,  and  Mr.  Morris  resolved  that 
he  would  on  that  occasion  offer  himself  to  the  society 
for  admission  on  trial,  as  a  seeker  of  religion.  The 
place  of  meeting  was  three  miles  distant  from  his 
home.  At  the  appointed  time  he  set  off  on  foot  and 
alone,  choosing  an  unfrequented  way  through  the  for- 
est, in  order  to  avoid  company  and  interruption. 
Fearing  that  his  heart  would  fail  him  when  the  time 
came  for  decisive  action,  he  three  times  stopped  on 
the  way,  fell  on  his  knees,  and  implored  Divine  as- 
sistance to  do  his  duty.  A  large  congregation  had 
assembled  ;  and  Mr.  Brown's  text  was,  "  Come,  for 
all  things  are  now  ready."  Mr.  Morris  felt  that  the 
subject  of  the  discourse,  and  the  manner  of  treating 
it,  could  not  have  been  better  adapted  to  his  state 
of  mind  had  the  minister  known  all  about  his  condi- 
tion. At  the  close  of  the  sermon,  persons  desiring  to 
do  so  were  invited  to  unite  with  the  Church  on  trial. 
Unaccustomed  to  Methodist  usages  in  such  cases,  and 
not  knowing  precisely  how  to  act,  Mr.  Morris  inquired 
of  a  class-leader,  Robert  Caseboult,  as  to  the  regular 
mode  of  procedure.  "  Go  forward,"  said  the  leader, 
"and  give  your  hand  to  the  preacher,  and  your  heart 
to    God  ;"   and   immediately,  while    the    congregation 


"Tliis  is  the  way  I  long  have  sought, 
And  mourned  because  I  found  it  not ; 
My  grief  a  burden  long  has  been, 
Because  I  was  not  saved  from  sin," — 

he  stepped  forward  alone,  and  was  enrolled  among  the 
followers  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  to  the  great  sur- 


JOINING    THE   CHURCH.  21 

prise  and  joy  of  the  congregation,  who  gathered 
around  the  new  recruit,  and  warmly  welcomed  him  to 
a  place  in  the  Church.  He  was  deeply  affected, 
melted  into  tears  of  contrition  and  penitence,  and  felt 
that  the  unhappy  wanderer  had  at  last  found  friends, 
a  home,  and  a  resting-place. 

Though  he  had  not,  at  this  time,  an  evidence  of 
pardon,  he  had  fully  counted  the  cost,  and  resolved  to 
perform  every  duty  pertaining  to  the  new  life  he  had 
resolved,  by  God's  help,  to  lead.  This  purpose  was 
soon  severely  tested  ;  for  on  the  evening  of  the  day 
he  united  with  the  Church,  he  was  called  on  to  pray 
in  a  public  meeting,  which  he  did  with  much  fear  and 
trembling  ;  nor  did  he  ever,  from  that  day.  refuse  to 
pray  when  requested  to  do  so,  though  his  mind  was 
often  dark,  and  his  heart  heavy  and  oppressed,  as  he 
sought  the  Lord  with  strong  crying  and  tears.  In 
November  following  he  obtained  partial  rest  for  his 
weary,  sin-sick  soul.  But  it  was  only  a  glimmering 
ray  of  heavenly  light  at  first;  afterward  it  shone  more 
and  more,  unto  the  perfect  day. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  Mr.  Morris's  convictions 
were  too  slight,  at  first,  to  be  satisfactory  to  himself; 
but  toward  the  last  of  a  nine-months'  struggle  they 
became  very  deep  and  powerful.  A  sense  of  guilt  as 
a  sinner  against  God,  and  the  fear  of  the  wrath  to 
come,  caused  him  now  many  sleepless  nights,  spent 
mostly  in.  an  agony  of  prayer,  sometimes  in  his  cham- 
ber, and  sometimes  on  the  cold  ground,  in  the  dark 
and  silent  woods.  This  great  mental  distress,  how- 
ever, gradually  subsided,  as  he,  by  faith,  slowly  appre- 
hended Christ  and  the  glorious  provision  he  had  made 


22  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

for  sinners.  One  day,  while  in  the  clerk's  office 
alone,  after  a  considerable  strujr^le  of  mind  to  believe 
and  grasp  the  prize,  and  while  singing  the  words, 

"  O,  that  day  when  freed  from  sinning, 
I  shall  see  thy  lovely  face, 
Richly  clothed  in  blood-washed  linen, 
How  I  '11  sing  thy  sovereign  grace  !" — 

his  faith  seemed  to  take  hold  on  the  bleeding  Savior; 
he  felt  a  strange  emotion  of  love  in  his  heart,  and  a 
stream  of  joy  seemed  to  be  flowing  in  upon  his 
thirsty  soul.  His  first  thought  was,  This  is  religion  ! 
But  alarmed  in  a  moment  lest  he  might  be  deceiving 
himself,  he  drew  back,  his  confidence  failed,  and  all 
was  darkness  again.  Two  or  three  days  afterward, 
about  the  hour  of  midnight,  this  manifestation  was 
repeated,  only  a  little  stronger  and  of  longer  continu- 
ance, but  followed  by  doubts  and  darkness  for  two 
weeks.  The  dark  seasons  through  which  he  now 
passed  were  attended  with  no  special  sense  of  guilt, 
or  fear  of  the  future,  but  were  like  the  night  to  a 
traveler  who  waits  and  longs  for  morning,  that  he 
may  proceed  on  his  journey.  A  little  instruction 
from  a  competent  spiritual  guide,  at  that  time,  would 
no  doubt  have  lifted  the  cloud  wholly  from  his  mind, 
and  introduced  him  into  the  full  light  and  liberty  of 
the  Gospel. 

About  this  time  the  class-leader  having  moved 
away,  and  the  little  class  in  that  neighborhood  being 
in  a  somewhat  low  condition,  the  new  preacher,  Rev. 
John  Cord,  appointed  Morris  to  fill  the  vacancy,  and 
handed  him  the  class-book  with  the  request  that  he 
would  convene  the  members  once  a  week,  and  hold  a 


APPOINTED   CLASS-LEADER.  23 

class-meeting.  This  appointment  was  received  with 
much  fear  and  trembling.  During  the  week  he  re- 
tired into  the  woods,  kneeled  by  the  side  of  a  fallen 
tree,  spread  out  the  class-book  before  him,  read  the 
first  name,  and  prayed  for  him,  and  so  on  through  the 
entire  list,  asking  for  grace  and  wisdom  to  say  profita- 
ble words  to  them  all  on  the  ensuing  Sabbath.  The 
class  was  a  small  one,  and  the  members,  scattered 
over  a  wide  territory,  did  not  usually  all  meet  to- 
gether at  one  time ;  but  on  the  following  Sabbath 
there  was  a  good  attendance,  and  the  Master  was 
present  with  them  to  impart  strength  and  comfort. 

Besides  his  private  religious  duties,  praying  in  his 
brother's  family  and  leading  the  class,  Mr.  Morris 
was  now  much  exercised  on  the  subject  of  holding 
prayer-meetings,  and  offering  the  word  of  exhortation 
to  his  neighbors.  Encouraged  by  the  brethren  to 
make  the  trial,  he  commenced  on  Christmas-day,  by 
adding  a  few  remarks  to  a  public  discourse  delivered 
by  an  exhorter  in  the  morning,  consenting  at  the 
same  time  to  address  the  congregation  in  the  evening. 
In  the  evening  the  house  was  well  filled,  and  he  was 
favored  with  much  liberty  of  utterance  in  delivering 
his  message;  at  the  close  of  which,  he  received  a 
great  and  signal  blessing,  such  as  he  never  enjoyed 
before.  For  many  days  after,  his  soul  was  filled  with 
holy  joy,  and  often  while  walking  alone,  or  sitting  at 
his  desk,  musing  on  the  goodness  of  God  in  deliver- 
ing him  out  of  all  his  troubles,  tears  of  gratitude 
would  flow  from  his  eyes,  and  he  rejoiced  greatly  in 
tljp  Rock  of  his  salvation. 

Having    made    a    few  efforts    at    exhortation,   on 


24  LIFE  OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

verbal  authority,  he  was,  without  any  application  on 
his  part,  presented  with  a  written  license  to  exhort, 
signed  by  the  preacher  in  charge  of  the  circuit,  and 
dated  February  I,  1 8 14,  which  he  accepted  and  used 
faithfully  from  that  time  forward. 

In  the  mean  time,  an  event  transpired  in  his  his- 
tory which  calls  for  more  than  a  passing  mention.  In 
the  Morris  family,  early  marriages  had  been  universal  ; 
and  though  Thomas  once  thought  that  his  case  would 
perhaps  be  an  exception  to  the  general  rule,  it  turned 
out  otherwise.  That  the  married  state,  if  prudently 
entered  into,  was  favorable  to  a  life  of  piety,  he  was 
thoroughly  convinced,  and  his  thoughts  were  a  good 
deal  turned  to  the  subject,  not  so  much  with  a  view 
to  any  immediate  steps  in  that  direction,  as  to  make 
suitable  preparation  for  the  great  event  when  the 
more  convenient  season  should  arrive.  In  the  little 
class  of  which  he  was  leader,  there  was  a  gentle  and 
lovely  maiden,  whose  Christian  graces  and  personal 
charms  so  won  his  confidence  and  esteem,  that  his 
mind  became  agitated  with  the  question  whether  he 
should  ever  be  able  to  find  a  more  worthy  and  suita- 
ble helpmeet  than  in  the  person  of  Miss  Abigail 
Scales.  A  little  in  advance  of  himself,  both  in  years 
and  in  Christian  experience,  this  young  lady,  he  felt 
persuaded,  would  greatly  contribute  both  to  his  use- 
fulness and  happiness  in  the  path  of  duty  toward 
which  God's  providence  seemed  to  be  leading  him. 
As  his  interest  ripened  into  a  pure  and  ardent  affec- 
tion, he  took  counsel  of  his  elder  brethren,  and  with 
their  approbation,  after  much  prayer  and  reflection, 
"he  ventured   to  name  the  subject  to    her,"  and  she 


FIRST  SERMON.  2$ 

became  his  affianced  bride.  "On  the  evening  of 
January  23,  1 814,"  in  the  words  of  Mr.  Morris's  brief 
diary,  "the  marriage  ceremony  was  performed  by  Rev. 
Stephen  Spnrlock,  in  the  presence  of  only  a  few 
serious  friends,  without  levity  or  display  of  any  sort." 
The  circumstances  under  which  young  Morris 
made  his  first  effort  at  preaching,  from  a  text,  were 
somewhat  peculiar.  When  his  parents,  who  lived 
twelve  miles  distant,  heard  that  he  had  given  some 
public  exhortations,  they  sent  a  message  for  him  to 
come  and  preach  at  their  house.  In  the  neighbor- 
hood where  they  resided,  it  was  not  customary  to 
hold  meetings  for  prayer  and  exhortation  in  the  ab- 
sence of  a  preacher ;  and,  not  being  familial'  with 
Methodist  phraseology,  they  announced  that  Thomas 
would  "  preach,"  whereas  it  was  his  intention  to  hold 
a  meeting  for  prayer  and  exhortation.  At  the  ap- 
pointed time  the  house  was  crowded  with  his  old 
neighbors  and  youthful  companions,  among  whom  he 
had  spent  the  days  of  his  boyhood.  These  old  asso- 
ciates had  come  to  hear  a  sermon,  and  would  be 
greatly  disappointed  if  the  service  should  be  a  prayer- 
meeting  ;  and,  besides,  on  looking  over  his  congrega- 
tion, he  perceived  that  it  was  not  made  up  of  the  right 
sort  of  material  for  a  profitable  prayer-meeting.  He 
remembered,  furthermore,  that  the  preacher  on  the 
circuit  had  voluntarily  said  to  him  :  "  If  you  feel 
like  preaching  at  any  time,  it  will  be  admissible  to 
make  the  effort  a  few  times  by  way  of  trial,  without 
a  regular  license."  So  he  resolved  to  make  his  first 
effort  on  that  occasion.  He  sung  and  prayed,  and 
read   his   text  from   Hebrews  ix,  27:     "And  as  it  is 

3 


26  /  IFR  OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

appointed  unto  men  once  to  die,  but  after  this  the  judg- 
ment," etc.  Profound  silence  followed.  There  was 
probably  more  curiosity  than  prayer  in  the  congrega- 
tion. The  preacher  shook,  as  if  in  a  paroxysm  of 
ague.  Before  a  word  was  uttered,  the  family,  many 
of  the  neighbors,  and  the  preacher  himself,  were  in 
tears,  while  the  rest  seemed  filled  with  amazement. 
But  when  he  did  begin  to  talk,  it  was  like  the  letting 
out  of  water  under  the  pressure  of  a  strong  head. 
For  about  twenty  minutes  word  crowded  word,  as  he 
often  said  afterward,  "  without  emphasis,  cadence,  or 
period."  Death  and  judgment  were  the  topics,  and 
however  unsatisfactory  the  manner  may  have  been  to 
himself,  there  is  reason  to  believe  that  solemn  and 
lasting  impressions  were  made  on  many  minds. 

His  next  effort  was  made  at  the  same  place  three 
weeks  subsequently,  in  which  he  endeavored  to  guard 
against  the  hurried  manner  of  the  first  attempt,  and 
got  through  with  more  ease  and  satisfaction  to  himself. 
Afterward  he  preached  in  several  localities,  as  oppor- 
tunity offered.  Some  time  in  March,  Rev.  Burwell 
Spurlock  preached  where  Mr.  Morris's  class  usually 
met,  and  requested  Morris  to  preach  also  on  the  same 
day,  which  he  did.  After  preaching,  Mr.  Spurlock  met 
the  class,  and  requested  them  to  give  Morris  a  recom- 
mendation to  the  Quarterly  Conference  for  license  to 
preach,  which  they  promptly  and  cheerfully  did.  The 
quarterly-meeting  was  held  at  a  preaching-place  near 
the  junction  of  the  Guyandott  and  Ohio  Rivers.  The 
examination  was  conducted  by  Rev.  David  Young, 
Presiding  Elder  of  Muskingum  District,  Ohio  Con- 
ference.      The  Quarterly    Conference  being  satisfied 


REV.    DAVID    YOUNG.  2J 

as  to  his  "gifts,  graces,  and  usefulness,"  granted  the 
license  ;  to  be  retained,  however,  until  he  should  re- 
ceive the  sacrament  of  baptism.  The  time  selected 
for  the  administration  of  this  ordinance  was  immedi- 
ately after  the  first  sermon  on  the  Sabbath  of  the 
quarterly-meeting,  when,  kneeling  at  the  water's  edge, 
Mr.  Morris  was  solemnly  baptized  by  the  presiding 
elder,  who  poured  the  water  on  his  head.  The  influ- 
ence of  early  education  had  somewhat  embarrassed 
him  in  his  first  attempts  to  investigate  the  subject 
of  water-baptism  ;  but  he  had  now  become  firmly 
convinced  that  effusion  was  the  Scriptural  mode,  and 
the  baptism  of  the  Holy  Spirit  which  attended  and 
followed  the  application  of  water  to  him  in  that  form, 
was  demonstration  that  he  was  in  the  path  of  duty. 
The  day  of  his  baptism,  and  especially  after  the  solemn 
service  was  over,  he  was  in  the  habit  of  referring  to 
as  one  of  the  happiest  periods  of  his  life. 

Rev.  David  Young,  under  whose  preaching  the 
heart  of  Mr.  Morris  was  first  thoroughly  broken  up, 
who  baptized  and  licensed  him,  and  who  was  chiefly 
instrumental  in  his  becoming  a  Methodist  itinerant, 
was  among  the  most  distinguished  men  of  his  day. 
He  vvas  born  in  Washington  County,  Virginia,  March 
9,  1779.  His  parents  were  pious  Presbyterians,  who 
early  taught  their  boy  the  Lord's  Prayer,  the  Creed, 
and  the  Catechisms.  At  the  age  of  seven  he  was 
taken  by  his  parents  to  a  prayer-meeting,  where,  dur- 
ing the  first  prayer,  he  was  so  deeply  convicted  of  sin 
that  he  wept  bitterly.  His  father  was  a  man  of  con- 
siderable wealth  and  culture,  and  possessed  a  good 
library.     This  was  David's  delight  ;  and  so  well  did 


28  LIFE   OF  BISHOP   MORRIS. 

he  avail  himself  of  its  advantages  and  other  privileges 
of  an  educational  kind,  that  at  the  age  of  twenty- 
one  he  was  at  the  head  of  a  grammar-school  in  Ten- 
nessee. Here,  on  the  19th  of  September,  1803,  he 
was  converted  under  the  instrumentality  of  the 
Methodists.  He  immediately  began  to  call  sinners  to 
repentance,  was  licensed  to  preach,  and  in  the  Fall  of 
1805  was  received  into  the  Western  Conference.  In 
person,  Mr.  Young  was  tall,  straight,  and  well  propor- 
tioned ;  in  movement,  easy,  dignified,  and  graceful. 
His  head  was  large  and  covered  with  a  luxuriant 
growth  of  golden  hair,  which  he  wore  flowing  from 
his  shoulders.  His  forehead  was  broad  and  high  ;  his 
eye  full,  and  deep  blue  ;  and  when  he  was  aroused,  it 
flashed  with  the  fires  of  genius.  His  manners  were 
those  of  a  finished  gentleman  of  the  old  school — with 
probably  a  little  too  much  sternness.  He  was  a 
man  of  great  mental  vigor,  an  acute  thinker,  and  a 
laborious  student.  As  an  orator,  according  to  the 
general  testimony  of  those  who  knew  him  in  his 
palmiest  days,  he  had  few  equals.  In  style  he  was 
clear,  chaste,  and  logical  ;  occasionally  his  appeals 
were  grand  and  overwhelming.  He  was  fifty-three 
years  a  member  of  an  annual  conference,  and  six 
times  a  member  of  the  General  Conference.  He  died 
November  15,  1858,  aged  seventy-nine  years. 

For  this  eminent  minister  Mr.  Morris  entertained 
the  most  profound  respect  and  ardent  affection  through 
life.  His  license  to  preach,  signed  by  David  Young, 
and  granted  at  the  quarterly-meeting  referred  to 
above,  is  dated  April  2,  1 8 14.  From  that  date  he 
had  plenty  of  opportunities  to  preach.     The  County 


SETTLEMENT.  29 

Court  had,  before  he  became  a  preacher,  appointed 
him  commissioner  of  the  revenue  for  that  year  in 
Cabell  County.  This,  in  view  of  his  feeble  health, 
he  regarded  as  a  very  desirable  office.  It  required 
him  to  call  on  all  the  citizens  of  the  county,  who, 
though  comparatively  few  in  number,  were  scattered 
along  the  rivers  and  smaller  streams  over  a  wide  ex- 
tent of  territory.  As  he  passed  around  among  the 
people,  in  the  discharge  of  his  official  duties,  taking  a 
list  of  their  taxable  property,  he  received  and  accepted 
many  invitations  to  preach.  The  business  assigned 
to  him  was  completed  toward  the  end  of  Summer,  and 
it  then  became  a  grave  and  important  question  how 
he  should  shape  his  future  course.  After  much  de- 
liberation and  consultation  with  friends,  he  concluded 
to  settle  on  a  piece  of  unimproved  land,  given  him 
by  his  father,  near  the  homestead.  Accordingly  he 
addressed  himself  to  the  no  easy  task  of  building  a 
cabin,  kitchen,  crib,  meat-house,  etc.  This  work,  after 
four  years  of  exemption  from  manual  labor,  taxed  his 
physical  strength  to  the  utmost.  But  perseverance 
was  crowned  with  success.  Early  in  the  Autumn  of 
that  year  he  and  Abigail  took  possession  of  "  Spice 
Flat  Cottage,"  situated  on  a  slight  swell  overlooking  a 
beautiful  piece  of  table-land,  embowered  amid  forest- 
trees  and  spicewood  shrubbery.  The  residence  was 
an  unpretending  one  ;  but  it  was  the  abode  of  love, 
happiness,  and  piety.  To  this  humble  dwelling  in  the 
wilderness  they  invited  the  ministers  of  Christ,  and 
opened  their  door  for  preaching.  Rev.  Henry  B.  Bas- 
com,  whose  fame  as  an  orator  became  afterward  so 
great  and  wide-spread,  was  that  year  the  preacher  on 


30  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

Guyandott  Circuit,  and  preached  at  the  residence  of 
Mr.  Morris,  where,  also,  lie  delivered  weekly  lectures 
to  such  of  the  neighbors  as  cared  to  avail  themselves 
of  the  opportunity  of  hearing  them.  In  the  course 
of  that  year  a  small  Methodist  society  was  formed 
in  the  neighborhood,  though  most  of  the  people  in 
that  community  who  had  any  Church  affinities  were 
Baptists. 

In  the  mean  time,  Mr.  Morris  found  that  the  work 
of  "clearing  a  farm,"  without  help  or  the  means  to 
procure  it,  was  likely  to  prove  a  very  tedious  under- 
taking ;  and  finally,  at  the  solicitation  of  many  of  his 
neighbors,  he  agreed  to  take  a  school,  thinking  that 
he  could  apply  the  net  proceeds  toward  the  improve- 
ment of  his  farm.  The  school  commenced  for  a  term 
of  six  months  ;  but  at  the  end  of  four  the  school-house 
was  destroyed  by  fire,  and  the  enterprise  was  aban- 
doned. This  to  the  teacher  was  no  cause  of  regret 
so  far  as  it  concerned  him  alone  ;  for  teaching  a  school, 
in  that  community  at  least,  he  had  proved  to  be  both 
an  unproductive  and  irksome  business.  At  the  close 
of  the  first  year  in  "  Spice  Flat  Cottage,"  besides 
teaching  four  months,  and  occupying  his  leisure  hours 
with  the  ax,  maul,  and  grubbing-hoe,  he  had  preached 
and  lectured  about  one  hundred  times,  but  had  made 
no  great  progress  in  the  cultivation  of  the  soil.  It 
was  a  difficult  region,  too,  for  successful  operations. as 
a  local  preacher.  The  population  was  sparse,  the 
roads  very  bad,  and  the  tax  of  time  and  money  required 
to  meet  the  calls  of  remote  appointments  was  very 
heavy.  In  the  Summer  of  1815,  at  the  request  of  his 
eldest  brother,  Edmund,  Mr.  Morris  made  a  tour  of 


CIRCUIT  PREACHING.  3  I 

exploration  through  the  south-western  part  of  Ken- 
tucky, for  their  mutual  accommodation,  as  both  had 
for  some  time  entertained  thoughts  of  moving  further 
West.  Edmund  settled  in  Kentucky  the  next  year 
after  this  trip,  but  Thomas  still  lingered  at  Spice 
Flat,  until  a  very  severe  attack  of  chills  and  fever, 
that  prostrated  his  wife  upon  a  sick-bed,  made  him 
willing  to  leave  the  scene  of  his  early  married  life. 
He  finally  determined  to  follow  his  brother  to  Ken- 
tucky, in  the  Spring  of  the  ensuing  year,  and  sold 
out  his  farming  implements  and  stock,  so  as  to  be 
perfectly  free  to  spend  the  Winter  as  might  be 
thought  most  profitable  for  himself  and  the  Church. 
About  this  time  the  Rev.  John  Dew,  then  on  the  cir- 
cuit, solicited  him  to  take  employment  as  his  col- 
league for  three  months;  which  proposition,  having 
been  submitted  to  Rev.  David  Young,  Presiding  Elder, 
and  approved  by  him,  was  accepted.  He  entered 
upon  the  work  in  November,  1815. 

There  is  abundant  evidence  that  from  the  hour 
when  Mr.  Morris  first  felt  it  to  be  his  duty  to  preach 
the  Gospel,  he  was  strongly  impressed  that  he  ought 
to  give  himself  wholly  to  the  work.  From  the  very 
first  he  was  seriously  exercised  on  the  subject  of  en- 
tering the  itinerancy  ;  and  with  a  view  to  such  a 
probable  contingency,  he  had  studied  as  closely  as 
his  other  employments  permitted.  When  at  his  daily 
labor  he  kept  his  books  with  him,  and,  if  compelled  to 
rest  a  few  moments,  would  read  a  paragraph,  to  be 
digested  more  fully  while  swinging  his  ax  or  mauls. 
His  own  consent  to  tear  away  from  the  world  and  enter 
the  traveling  ranks  could  easily  have  been  obtained, 


32  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

and  some  of  his  Methodist  friends  recommended 
that  course.  But  his  nearest  and  best  earthly 
friend  had  a  severe  struggle  before  she  became  per- 
fectly reconciled  to  go  out  and  face  the  difficulties, 
privations,  and  sufferings  inseparable  from  an  itin- 
erant's life  in  those  days.  Her  hesitancy  was  not 
owing  to  any  want  of  zeal  in  the  cause  of  religion, 
but  grew  mainly  out  of  her  delicate  health  ;  and 
partly,  perhaps,  from  the  conviction  that  neither  she 
nor  her  husband  was  adapted,  physically  or  otherwise, 
to  many  of  the  duties  and  peculiarities  of  the  itiner- 
ancy. There  was  little  or  no  provision  then  for  the 
support  of  preachers'  families  on  the  circuits  ;  their 
own  means  were  exceedingly  limited,  and,  with  the 
prospect  of  an  increasing  family,  the  outlook,  from  a 
worldly  point  of  view,  was  rather  dark  and  forbidding. 
The  opposition,  also,  of  some  of  her  near  relatives,  in- 
creased the  embarrassment  of  the  situation.  Mrs. 
Morris  did  not  positively  refuse  to  go  into  the  itin- 
erant ranks  ;  but  her  feelings  were  so  agitated  by  the 
anticipation  of  it,  that  her  husband  deemed  it  pru- 
dent to  waive  the  subject  and  await  the  indications 
of  Providence  ;  nor  had  he  long  to  wait.  The  Lord 
brought  her  by  a  way  she  did  not  know,  and  led  her 
in  a  path  she  had  not  considered.  During  the  illness 
already  referred  to,  she  became  deeply  exercised  on 
the  subject  of  her  husband's  traveling  and  preaching, 
when  no  one  else  apparently  was  thinking  of  it. 
Her  own  account  of  the  manner  in  which  her  mind 
was  exercised,  is  somewhat  remarkable.  "  The  Lord 
said  to  me,"  she  related,  "  by  his  silent  but  intelli- 
gent  Spirit,  'Let  him  go!'  but  my  heart  said   'No!' 


THE  MINISTRY.  33 

In  a  moment  I  was  siezed  with  an  agony  of  bodily 
pain  and  mental  anguish.  For  two  or  three  hours  I 
felt  as  if  rolling  on  a  bed  of  thorns,  while  the  black- 
ness of  darkness  and  despair,  comparable  only  to  the 
torments  of  hell,  seized  upon  my  mind.  The  words 
were  again  applied  with  increased  force,  '  Let  him  go  !' 
when  I  responded  instantly,  'With  all  my  heart;' 
and  in  a  moment  all  distress  of  body  and  mind  were 
gone,  and  I  felt  exquisitely  happy."  A  wonderful 
change  in  her  countenance  was  observed  by  her  hus- 
band, to  whom,  as  soon  as  she  was  sufficiently  com- 
posed, she  made  the  above  statement,  adding,  "  Now, 
if  you  feel  it  your  duty  to  travel  and  preach,  you 
have  my  full  consent  ;  and,  if  you  ever  locate,  no 
one  shall  ever  say  that  it  was  at  my  request." 

This  was  in  the  Fall  of  18 15,  and  she  kept  her 
promise  faithfully  to  the  end  of  her  life.  It  was  only 
a  few  weeks  subsequently  to  the  remarkable  incident 
just  related,  that  the  proposition  was  made  for  Mr. 
Morris  to  become  a  colleague  of  Rev.  Mr.  Dew. 
Under  all  these  circumstances  he  felt  that  he  could  not 
safely  refuse.  His  itinerancy  was  an  experiment  ;  he 
felt  doubtful  of  success,  and  engaged  in  the  work  for 
one  quarter  only,  with  a  view  to  satisfy  his  own  mind 
whether  it  would  be  safe  and  proper  for  him  fully  to 
enter  the  itinerant  ranks. 

Those  who  best  knew  him  will  most  readily 
believe  his  statement,  recorded  in  his  diary,  that  he 
was  far  from  being  sanguine  of  success.  Many  things 
caused  him  to  fear  a  failure,  and,  among  others,  an 
enfeebled  constitution,  difficulty  of  supporting  his 
family,  want  of   suitable  qualifications,  and,  last  but 


34  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

not  least,  a  temptation  to  doubt  bis  Divine  call  to  the 
ministry.  Hitherto  he  had  simply  done  as  his  breth- 
ren directed,  in  all  cases  where  help  was  needed  and 
he  saw  any  prospect  of  doing  good.  Thus  he  had 
been  made  a  leader,  an  exhorter,  and  a  licentiate, 
without  any  solicitation  on  his  own  part,  and  had 
labored  whenever  and  wherever  those  having  rule 
over  him  advised.  In  accordance  with  this  rule,  when 
his  services  were  called  for  on  the  circuit,  he  deter- 
mined to  make  trial  for  one  quarter  at  least. 

The  Winter  of  1815  —  16  was  severe.  The  cold 
was  often  intense,  changes  in  the  weather  sudden, 
and  traveling  bad.  Under  these  circumstances,  in  a 
sparsely  populated  neighborhood,  the  congregations 
were  necessarily  small,  and  the  young  itinerant  would 
often,  no  doubt,  be  sorely  tempted.  The  time,  how- 
ever, passed  swiftly  ;  for  he  was  deeply  interested  in 
his  work,  and  felt  a  growing  desire  to  make  a  thor- 
ough trial  of  his  fitness  for  it.  The  time  for  the 
quarterly-meeting  having  arrived,  Mr.  Morris  was  ap- 
proached by  his  colleague,  Dew,  on  the  subject  of  a 
recommendation  to  the  Annual  Conference.  "  Do 
you  feel,  brother  Morris,"  said  Mr.  Dew,  "like  selling 
yourself  to  the  Church  ?"  The  characteristic  reply 
was,  "  Yes,  cheap  !"  After  the  usual  examination,  the 
Quarterly  Conference  granted  the  recommendation  ; 
but,  as  the  Ohio  Conference  would  not  meet  for  six 
months,  the  presiding  elder  employed  him  as  assist- 
ant on  Marietta  Circuit,  with  Rev.  Marcus  Lindsey 
as  his  colleague. 

Before  he  left  for  his  new  field  of  labor,  time  was 
given   him    to  fill    a    few  outstanding    appointments. 


INCIDENT  OF  TRAVEL.  35 

On  his  way  to  meet  these  engagements,  Mrs.  Morris 
accompanied    him    some    distance,    to    visit  a    friend. 
The   weather    had    suddenly  become    extremely  cold, 
and  the  small  streams  were  beginning  to  freeze  over. 
Crossing  these,  as  they  were  obliged  to  do  many  times, 
was  both  difficult  and  dangerous,  for  the  ice  was  not 
quite   strong   enough   to  bear  the  weight   of  a  horse. 
In    one    of  these    crossings,    his  own    horse    became 
frightened    and    unmanageable,    and,    after    plunging 
through    the  ice,   struck  a   bluff  bank,  where,  in  the 
attempt  to  rise,  he  fell  back  ;  and  Mr.  Morris  and  his 
little    daughter,  whom    he  was  carrying  in  his  arms, 
were  thrown  into  the  stream,  and  the  horse  escaped. 
They  got  to  the  bank  at  last  with  difficulty,  but  not 
until  his  clothes  were  frozen  stiff.     Mrs.  Morris  took 
off  her  riding-habit  and  wrapped  it  around  the  child 
to  keep  it  from    perishing  with    cold,  while  her  hus- 
band   waded    into    the    creek    again    to    recover   his 
saddle-bags.      Then  considerable   time  was  spent  in 
recovering  the  horse,  and,  when  that  was  accomplished, 
they  were  obliged  to  travel  two  miles  before  reaching 
shelter  or   fire.     This    unpleasant    episode    cost  both 
the  father  and  child  a  severe  illness  ;    but  with  such 
experiences   the   early   preachers    of   Methodism,    es- 
pecially in  the  West,  became  familiar.     The  work  to 
be  done  required  heroic  spirits,  and,  in  the  good  provi- 
dence of  God,  the  right  man  was  generally  found  in 
the  right  place. 

Having  partially  recovered  from  this  attack  of  ill- 
ness, Mr.  Morris  setoff,  early  in  March,  1816,  accord- 
ing to  instructions,  to  meet  Rev.  D.  Young  at  the 
quarterly-meeting   in   Athens,   Ohio,   which,  at    that 


36  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

time,  was  an  appointment  belonging  to  Marietta 
Circuit.  Just  before  reaching  Athens,  while  riding 
down  a  muddy  bill,  his  horse  stumbled  and  fell,  and  he 
was  precipitated  over  the  animal's  head  into  the  mire. 
Almost  literally  covered  from  head  to  foot  with  mud, 
to  say  nothing  of  a  severely  bruised  ankle,  he  was 
obliged  to  ride  into  the  town  ;  and,  to  add  to  his  mor- 
tification, just  as  he  passed  the  church,  the  congre- 
gation was  dismissed,  and  he  was  obliged  to  make 
his  first  appearance  before  his  parishioners  in  that 
unhappy  plight. 

After  passing  around  the  circuit,  and  having  se- 
cured a  boarding-place  for  his  little  family,  he  re- 
turned for  them  to  Virginia.  With  heavy  hearts  they 
bid  adieu  to  Spice  Flat  Cottage  and  the  friends  of 
their  youth,  to  take  up  their  abode  among  strangers, 
with  the  prospect  of  being  homeless  wanderers  to  the 
end  of  their  days.  Still  they  were  greatly  strength- 
ened and  comforted  by  the  thought  that  they  were  in 
the  path  of  duty,  and  under  the  guidance  of  Provi- 
dence. There  were  times,  however,  when  Mr.  Morris 
was  in  painful  doubt  about  his  call  to  the  ministry; 
and  when  he  engaged  in  the  work  on  this  circuit,  it 
was  with  the  determination  to  test  his  health,  qualifica- 
tions, and  call,  until  the  session  of  the  ensuing  Con- 
ference, and  then  finally  settle  the  question  of  con- 
tinuing in  the  work. 

The  work  of  the  circuit  was  heavy,  and  well-nigh 
wore  him  down  in  six  months.  But  he  was  full  of 
ardor,  and  labored  indefatigably  and  not  in  vain  in  the 
Lord.  The  Church  was  quickened,  sinners  were 
awakened,  and  at  many  points  on  the  circuit  gracious 


CIRCUIT   WORK.  37 

revival  seasons  were  enjoyed.  During  the  two  quar- 
ters, Mr.  Morris  himself  received  sixty-six  persons  on 
trial,  and  his  colleague  a  still  greater  number.  This 
success,  though  it  does  not  seem  to  have  fully  settled 
in  his  own  mind  the  question  of  his  call  to  the  min- 
istry, greatly  encouraged  and  comforted  him  ;  and 
yielding  to  the  entreaties  of  his  brethren,  and  es- 
pecially his  colleague,  he  suffered  his  recommenda- 
tion to  go  to  Conference,  which  met  at  Louisville, 
Ky.,  where,  in  September,  1816,  he  was  regularly  ad- 
mitted into  the  Ohio  Conference  on  trial.  The  two 
years  of  his  probation  in  the  Conference  were  both 
spent  on  Marietta  Circuit,  and  they  were  years  of 
much  prosperity  to  the  Church,  and  of  great  spiritual 
enjoyment  to  Mr.  Morris,  who,  before  the  close  of  the 
first  year,  had  all  doubts  removed  from  his  mind  con- 
cerning his  call  to  the  ministry — a  subject  on  which 
we  purpose  to  give  his  well-considered  views  more 
definitely  in  the  next  chapter. 


38  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 


CHAPTER   II. 

CIRCUIT  WORK — ORDAINED  DEACON  AND  ELDER — TRANSFER 
TO    KENTUCKY. 

THE  various  denominations  of  the  Protestant 
world  agree  substantially  on  the  subject  of  a 
Divine  call  to  the  ministry.  That  it  is  the  peculiar 
prerogative  of  the  Head  of  the  Church  to  designate 
men  for  the  great  work  of  preaching  the  Gospel,  is 
admitted  among  Christians  with  very  great  unanimity. 
The  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  admits  to  the  sacred 
office  only  those  who  "think  they  are  moved  by  the 
Holy  Ghost  to  preach."  This  principle  was  undoubt- 
edly recognized  in  the  appointment  of  Aaron  and  his 
sons,  and  the  tribe  of  Levi,  to  the  Jewish  priesthood. 
In  all  ages  of  the  world,  and  under  every  form  of  dis- 
pensation, the  method  of  filling  the  priestly,  prophet- 
ical, and  apostolic  office,  has  been  the  same.  The 
mode  in  which  the  Divine  will  is  now  made  known 
to  the  individual  whose  duty  it  is  to  preach  the  Gos- 
pel may  differ,  in  some  respects,  from  that  employed 
in  the  first  ages  of  the  Church,  or  even  in  apostolic 
times.  But  all  Christians  who  derive  their  opinions 
on  this  highly  important  subject  from  the  New  Testa- 
ment, and  believe  that  the  Scriptures  contain  the 
only  proper  rule  of  faith  and  practice  for  the  Church 
in  all  ages,  must  be  convinced  that  men  are  set.  apart 


A    CALL    TO   THE  MINISTRY.  39 

for  the  ministry  by  Divine  appointment,  and  that 
inne  are  true  ministers  of  Christ  "but  they  who  are 
called  of  God,  as  was  Aaron." 

We  give  Mr.  Morris's  account  of  his  call  to  the 
work  of  the  ministry,  in  his  own  words: 

"  That  some  men  are  specially  called  of  God  to 
preach  his  Gospel,  is  a  doctrine  which  I  have  always 
held  as  firmly  as  any  other  tenet  of  the  Christian  sys- 
tem, and  for  the  reason  that  it  is  plainly  taught  in 
the  Sacred  Scriptures.  It  does  not  follow,  neces- 
sarily, however,  that  God  must  work  miracles  to 
convince  men  of  their  duty  in  this  respect,  any  more 
than  in  other  respects.  Men  are  convinced  of  their 
duty  to  preach,  as  they  are  of  their  duty  to  repent 
or  pray, —  1.  These  duties  are  taught  in  the  Scrip- 
tures; 2.  The  Holy  Spirit  moves  men  to  the 
performance  of  them  ;  3.  They  are  encouraged  to 
persevere  in  them  by  the  blessing  which  follows 
obedience. 

"Again,  it  is  not  contended  that  all  the  evidences 
of  a  man's  call  to  the  work  of  the  ministry  are  con- 
ferred at  once  ;  for  there  are  some  evidences  which 
never  can  be  obtained,  except  by  the  test  of  experi- 
ment :  as,  for  instance,  gifts  and  fruit.  No  one  knows 
whether  he  can  preach  until  he  tries,  and  much  less 
does  he  know  what  will  be  the  effect  of  his  preaching. 
But  there  are  some  things  he  can  know,  respecting 
his  call  to  the  work,  before  he  commences.  First,  he 
may  know  whether  the  providence  of  God  opens  the 
way,  or  not,  for  him  to  enter  the  field  ;  and,  sec- 
ondly, whether  he  is  moved  by  the  Holy  Ghost  to  go 
forward  and  preach  the  glad  news  of  salvation.     But 


40  LIFE   OF  BISHOP   MORRIS. 

to  preach  without  some  intimation  of  a  Divine  call,  is 
the  height  of  presumption.  He  who  is  a  stranger  to 
experimental  godliness,  and  has  no  call  to  the  work 
except  that  he  has  been  educated  for  it  by  his  friends, 
assumes  an  awful  responsibility.  He  stands  before 
the  people  claiming  to  be  an  embassador  for  Christ, 
when  Christ  has  neither  chosen  nor  sent  him.  And 
as  to  the  authority  supposed  to  be  derived  by  what  is 
called  apostolical  succession,  in  the  sense  in  which 
that  phase  is  now  used  and  abused,  it  should  be 
classed  with  the  claim  of  the  Jews  to  salvation  on 
the  ground  that  they  were  the  natural  descendants  of 
Abraham.  It  is  nothing  worth.  He  who  is  soundly 
converted,  called  of  God  to  preach,  and  has  conse- 
quently the  promise  of  Christ's  presence  and  aid, 
belongs  to  the  true  Scriptural  succession  ;  and  all 
others,  no  matter  where,  when,  or  by  whom  ordained, 
are  intruders  into  the  sacred  office. 

"I  am  far  from  believing  that  all  the. true  min- 
isters of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  belong  to  any  one 
denomination  ;  and  equally  far  from  supposing  that 
a  Divine  call  supersedes  the  necessity  of  study,  to 
show  ourselves  approved  of  God,  workmen  that  need 
not  be  ashamed,  rightly  dividing  the  word  of  truth. 
With  these  views,  which  I  have  ever  held  without 
wavering,  it  has  been  my  honest  endeavor  to  look 
well  to  my  own  credentials. 

"The  evidences  which  satisfied  me  of  my  call  to 
the  ministerial  work  were  chiefly  these:  I.  As  soon 
as  I  began  to  enjoy  the  comforts  of  religion,  I  felt  a 
desire  to  recommend  it  to  others,  which  I  did  first 
privately.    But  this  did  not  satisfy  my  mind  ;  I  desired 


OFFICE   OF  THE  MINISTRY.  4 1 

to  proclaim  it  to  the  multitudes,  and  this  desire  in- 
creased until  it  nearly  engrossed  all  my  thoughts  by 
day  and  night,  so  that  even  in  my  sleep  I  appeared 
to  be  generally  at  some  religious  meeting,  praying 
and  exhorting.  2.  Without  any  solicitation  on  my 
part  the  brethren  urged  me  to  go  forward  in  the  work 
of  the  Lord  publicly.  3.  The  fear  that  I  would  be 
confounded  in  consequence  of  my  extreme  diffidence 
was  overcome  by  the  power  of  faith  to  a  great  extent. 
For  years  I  had  been  doing  business  as  a  clerk  of 
court,  and  to  the  last  would  nearly  choke  down  in 
swearing  a  jury,  or  reading  a  paper,  from  which 
painful  embarrassment  I  could  by  no  means  escape  ; 
but  when  I  commenced  speaking  in  public,  though 
my  natural  weakness  remained,  the  power  of  religious 
influence  often  raised  me  above  it,  so  that  J  fre- 
quently spoke  in  the  presence  of  multitudes  with  ease 
and  pleasure.  4.  My  early  efforts  to  exhort  and  preach 
were  followed  by  a  great  blessing  on  my  own  soul. 
5.  My  conscience  bore  me  witness  that  I  was  in  the 
path  of  duty  ;  for  if  I  improved  every  opportunity 
offered  me  to  speak  for  Christ,  in  public  as  well  as  in 
private,  I  enjoyed  peace  of  mind  ;  but  if  I  neglected 
to  do  this,  or  shunned  the  cross,  my  heart  condemned 
me,  and  I  was  unhappy.  6.  The  pious  part  of  the 
community  thought  I  ought  to  proceed,  and  some  of 
the  people  professed  to  be  benefited  by  my  labors. 
I  formed  some  new  societies,  and  received  scores  of 
new  members  into  the  old  ones.  Still,  doubts  of  my 
call  occasionally  troubled  me,  attended  with  great 
despondency  of  mind,  and  sore  temptations  to  desist 
from  the  work.     It  would  often  occur  to  me  that  the 

4 


42  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

good  accomplished  might  be  accounted  for  without 
admitting  my  Divine  call,  and  fears  would  arise  that  I 
might  be  in  the  way  of  others  whom  the  Lord  would 
delight  to  honor  as  the  instruments  of  saving  souls. 
7.  I  wanted  some  responsible  witnesses  who  could  and 
would  say,  voluntarily,  that  under  my  preaching  they 
were  awakened  for  the  first  time,  and  from  thence  had 
turned  to  seek  the  Lord,  and  had  been  saved.  The 
Lord  gave  me  many  such  witnesses  on  the  Marietta 
Circuit.  8.  Satan  still  assaulted  me  by  suggesting 
that  all  these  might  fall  away  and  be  lost,  and  my 
work  go  for  nothing  at  last  ;  but  his  mouth  was  soon 
stopped,  for  two  of  these  witnesses,  after  living  hap- 
pily for  some  months,  died  shouting  victory  to  the 
last.  Since  that  time  I  have  not  doubted  that  God 
called  me,  unworthy  as  I  am,  to  the  work  of  the  min- 
istry, though  I  have  feared  often  that,  throne;!)  un- 
faithfulness, my  commission  was  forfeited.  And  my 
experience  as  a  Christian  has  accorded  with  my  expe- 
rience as  a  minister.  That  I  was  changed  by  grace, 
and  often  blessed  with  the  spirit  of  adoption,  was 
with  me  no  matter  of  uncertainty  or  doubt  for  many 
years  ;  but  afterward  I  sometimes  feared,  especially 
when  low  in  religious  comforts,  that  I  had  fallen  from 
grace,  as  Paul  said  some  of  the  Galatians  did.  Yet 
generally  I  have  had  peace  and  prosperity  as  a  hum- 
ble laborer  in  the  Lord's  vineyard,  and  have  main- 
tained a  good  hope,  through  grace,  of  everlasting  life." 
When  Mr.  Morris  entered  the  regular  work  of  the 
itinerant  ministry  he  had  almost  every  thing  pertain- 
ing to  his  calling  to  learn,  both  as  to  his  pastoral  and 
social  relations.     He  found  himself  in  a  school  where 


CIRCUIT  PREACHING,  43 

experience  and  observation  were,  under  God,  his  chief 
instructors.  Being  quite  young,  it  would  be  strange 
it",  under  all  the  circumstances,  he  did  not  sometimes 
make  mistakes.  <<">(  a  very  sensitive  nature,  a  trifling 
error  oi  judgment  would  occasion  him  great  pain  and 
mortification  ;  ami  although,  with  the  ingenuous  can- 
dor that  marked  his  whole  life,  he  often  in  latei  years 
referred  to  the  mortifying  blunders  oi  his  early  min- 
istry, we  have  reason  to  believe,  from  the  testimony 

of  his   contemporaries,  that    these   wore   verv   lew  ami 

unimportant.  (^^  leaving  his  fust  field  of  labor  in 
Ohio  (the  Marietta  Circuit),  he  hail  every  reason  to 

thank  God  ami  take  coinage,  llis  ministry  there  had 
been  one  of  toil  indeed,  ami  even  at  times  of  sorrow  ; 

hut   it  had  also  been  one  of  hope  ami  joy  ami  success. 

lie  had  not  labored  in  vain.  Besides  those  reported 
by  his  colleagues,  Cornelius  Springer  ami  Job  Baker, 
he  had  had  the  pleasure  ol  receiving  about  two  hun- 
dred and  fifty  persons  into  the  Chinch — a  great  ami 
glorious  work  when  we  consider  the  wide  extent  of 
the  circuit  traveled,  tin-  sparseness  oi  the  population, 
and  the  many  difficulties  to  be  overcome.  From  a 
small  diary  kept  by  Mr.  Morris  during  this  period, 
extending   from   March,   1S16,  to   August,    [S18,  we 

learn  that,  during  these  two  and  a  halt  years  spent  on 

Marietta  Circuit,  he  had  traveled  on  horseback  about 
seven    thousand    five   hundred    miles,  and   delivered 

about   nine  hundred  ami   twenty  public  discourses,  in 

the  form  oi  regular  sermons,  being  a  little  over  an 
average  of  one  daily,  exclusive  oi  the  labor  i)i  holding- 
class  and  prayer  meetings,  and  visiting  among  the 
sick    and    the   serious.      This  amount   of   labor,  which 


44  LIFE  OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

seems  herculean  to  modern  itinerants,  he  performed, 
too,  it  is  to  be  remembered,  in  a  feeble  state  of  health, 
suffering  severely  at  times  from  liver  complaint,  ery- 
sipelas, chills  and  fever,  and  last,  though  not  least, 
constant  weakness  and  pain  in -his  eyes  ;  so  that  much 
of  the  time  he  was  compelled  to  ride  in  goggles,  and 
preach  with  spectacles  on. 

If  the  young  minister  of  the  present  day  inquires, 
When  did  he  find  time  to  study  ?  we  answer :  The 
heroes  of  early  Methodism  did  not  require,  for  the 
preparation  of  their  sermons,  or  the  prosecution  of 
their  theolog'cal  studies,  a  neatly  furnished  office,  a 
handsome  writing-table,  and  a  large  library  ;  nor  did 
they  claim  their  morning  hours  as  sacred  from  intru- 
sion, to  be  devoted  wholly  to  study.  They  were  gen- 
erally men  who  religiously  observed  the  rule,  "  Never 
be  unemployed  ;  never  be  triflingly  employed." 
Every  scrap  of  time,  every  leisure  hour  and  odd  mo- 
ment, was  appropriated  to  study.  Books  were  read 
through  carefully  on  horseback,  and  whatever  they 
contained  of  practical  utility  to  the  preacher  was  im- 
mediately called  into  requisition.  When  not  reading 
or  sleeping,  or  engaged  in  religious  or  social  conver- 
sation, they  were  studying  sermons,  preparing  new 
ones — thinking  them  out — and  remodeling  old  ones. 
This  process  was  carried  on  while  riding,  walking, 
sitting,  or  reclining.  It  was  a  necessity;  but  it  also 
became  a  source  of  great  enjoyment.  The  diversity 
of  congregations  would  naturally  suggest  a  variety 
of  topics,  and  the  remote  positions  of  appointments 
from  each  other  afforded  opportunity  for  repeating 
sermons.       Thus    the    early   preacher    could    review, 


MINISTERIAL  SUPPORT.  45 

amend,  and  improve  his  discourses,  until  they  were 
wrought  into  the  most  effective  form. 

Perhaps  the  most  serious  hardship  encountered  by 
the  early  Methodist  preachers  was  the  inadequacy  and 
uncertainty  of  their  support.  The  people  to  whom 
they  ministered  were  poor,  with  few  exceptions,  and 
the  full  allowance  for  the  support  of  a  preacher  (which 
was  not  always  paid)  was  a  miserable  stipend.  Often, 
indeed,  must  these  devoted  and  self-sacrificing  men 
have  suffered  severe  tests  of  their  faith  as  to  what 
they  should  eat,  and  wherewithal  be  clad,  while  toil- 
ing in  the  Master's  vineyard  ;  but,  trusting  in  God, 
and  going  forward,  they  were  generally  provided  for — 
how  strangely  and  providentially  at  times  is  illus- 
trated in  the  following  incident,  which  occurred  dur- 
ing the  first  year  of  Mr.  Morris  on  Marietta  Circuit. 
Being  in  need  of  a  pocket-handkerchief,  he  went  into 
the  store  of  James  Whitney,  Esq.,  of  Harmar,  to  buy 
one.  Before  making  the  purchase,  however,  it  oc- 
curred to  him  that  his  family  might  need  the  dollar 
more  than  he  did  the  handkerchief,  especially  if  they 
should  get  sick.  He  therefore  left  the  store  without 
making  known  the  object  of  his  call,  or  even  hinting 
the  matter  to  any  one.  After  passing  round  his  cir- 
cuit he  called  at  the  store  again,  when  Mr.  Whitney 
handed  him  a  small  package,  remarking,  "  It  was  left 
here  for  you  by  a  gentleman  from  the  country."  It 
contained  a  silk  handkerchief,  just  the  article  he 
wanted,  and  a  silver  dollar,  both  of  which  came  very 
opportunely. 

Methodism  was  not  then  the  influential  and  pop- 
ular cause  which  the  growth  of  a  century  has   now 


46  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

made  it.  To  unite  with  the  Church  then  was  no 
slight  cross,  especially  to  such  as  had  any  connection 
with  influential  and  fashionable  families.  Several  of 
the  converts  under  the  ministry  of  Mr.  Morris,  at  this 
period,  were  disowned  by  their  former  friends  ;  young 
people  were  driven  from  home  for  becoming  religious, 
and  joining  the  Methodists.  One  young  lady  of  Mari- 
etta was  whipped  with  a  cowhide  by  her  enraged 
father  for  attending  Methodist  meetings.  It  was  said, 
at  the  same  time,  that  Mr.  Morris  would  receive  a 
like  castigation  as  soon  as  an  opportunity  occurred. 
The  opportunity  was  not  long  delayed.  Mr.  Morris, 
as  soon  as  he  heard  of  the  threat,  walked  past  the 
docfr  of  the  irate  gentleman,  who  happened  to  be  sit- 
ting on  his  portico  at  the  time  ;  but  no  violence  was 
attempted.  Finding  that  he  could  not  beat  religion 
out  of  his  daughter,  or  hire  her  to  leave  the  Church 
of  her  choice,  he  adopted  another  plan  to  convince 
her  that  the  Methodists  were  not  as  good  friends  as 
she  thought  them  to  be,  hoping  in  that  way  to  alien- 
ate her  affections  from  them.  She  was  a  minor,  but 
a  remarkably  intelligent  young  lady  for  her  years. 
He  drew  up  a  bond  binding  blank  individuals  for  her 
support  until  she  became  of  age,  and  providing  that 
she  should  never  apply  to  him  for  any  thing  as  a 
minor.  Handing  this  paper  to  his  daughter,  he  said, 
"  If  Whitney  and  Dunlavy  [prominent  Methodists  and 
men  of  means]  will  sign  this  bond,  you  may  go  where 
you  please."  She  presented  it  to  those  gentlemen, 
who  immediately  signed  it,  The  young  lady,  thus 
driven  away  from  her  own  father's  house,  found  a 
pleasant  home  in  the  family  of  Mr.  Whitney  for  the 


CONFERENCE  SESSION  47 

time  being,  but  soon  sought  employment  and  the 
means  of  self-support  by  teaching  a  country  school. 
Her  father  was  stricken  clown  in  about  a  year  with  a 
severe  illness,  from  which  he  never  recovered,  and 
through  which  he  was  faithfully  nursed  by  his  perse- 
cuted child.  This  may  serve  as  an  example  of  the 
trials  through  which  both  the  preachers  and  the 
people  of  early  Methodism  were  called  to  pass. 

When  his  full  term  of  service  on  the  Marietta  Cir- 
cuit was  completed,  Mr.  Morris  attended  an  annual 
conference  for  the  first  time.  It  was  held  at  Steu- 
benville,  Ohio,  where  he  was  examined,  admitted  to 
full  connection,  and  ordained  deacon  by  Bishop 
George,  in  August,  1818.  At  that  conference  several 
things  were  witnessed  by  the  young  itinerant  that 
made  a  deep  impression  on  his  mind.  There  he  saw, 
for  the  first  time,  Bishops  M'Kendree,  George,  and 
Roberts,  all  of  whom  were  present.  There,  too,  he 
saw  first  a  body  of  grave  divines  in  council,  among 
whom  were  Quinn,  Parker,  Shinn,  Crume,  and  others, 
all  of  whom  have  long  since  passed  from  toil  to  re- 
ward. The  regular  business  of  a  conference  was  then 
very  limited  compared  to  conference  business  now  ; 
but  more  time  and  attention  were  devoted  to  spiritual 
matters.  Bishop  M'Kendree,  as  he  called  the  names 
of  the  elders,  requested  each  to  speak  of  his  work 
and  experience,  converting  the  conference  into  a  sort 
of  class-meeting,  which  was  at  once  interesting  and 
profitable. 

The  Committee  on  Public  Worship  had  notified 
Mr.  Morris  on  Sabbath  evening  that  he  was  appointed 
to  preach  at  sunrise  on  Monday  morning.     With  fear 


48  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

and  trembling  he  rose  in  the  pulpit  at  the  appointed 
time,  and  commenced  the  service.  As  soon  as  he  an- 
nounced his  subject,  it  became  evident  to  him,  from 
the  looks  of  preachers  and  people,  that  something  was 
amiss  ;  but  what  it  was  he  could  not  imagine.  At  the 
close  of  the  meeting,  one  of  the  brethren  observed  to 
him  that  his  task  had  been  a  difficult  one — that  is,  to 
improve  the  bishop's  sermon.  It  appeared,  then,  that 
Bishop  Roberts  had  preached  from  the  same  text  the 
day  before,  in  the  same  house — a  circumstance  of 
which  Mr.  Morris  was  wholly  ignorant,  as  he  had  at- 
tended service  at  another  church  the  day  previously. 
The  occurrence  was  mortifying,  of  course,  to  a  young 
man  ;  but  no  harm  came  of  it  other  than  the  pleas- 
antry of  his  brethren,  which,  to  a  keenly  sensitive 
nature,  may  have  seemed  a  little  cruel. 

Another  incident  occurred  at  the  Steubenville  Con- 
ference not  easily  forgotten  by  Mr.  Morris.  On  the 
recommendation  of  some  of  his  friends,  he  was  em- 
ployed by  Bishop  M'Kendree  as  his  private  secretary. 
The  bishop  and  his  secretary  occupied  a  large  room 
with  two  beds  at  Mr.  Haile's.  Sabbath  evening  they 
retired  early  ;  but  the  responsibility  of  having  to 
preach  at  sunrise  next  morning  made  the  young 
scribe  wakeful.  At  about  two  o'clock,  on  Monday 
morning,  he  awoke  from  his  first  uneasy  slumber,  and 
was  surprised  to  see  a  light  in  the  room,  and  the 
good  bishop  seated  at  his  table,  writing. something  in 
which  he  seemed  deeply  interested.  He  was  station- 
ing the  preachers,  and  was  doing  it  after  the  manner 
of  Asbury  ;  that  is,  according  to  his  own  judgment. 
Without  consultation  with  his  colleagues  in  office,  or 


ZANESVILLE   CIRCUIT.  49 

the  presiding  elders,  he  was  calling  over  the  list  of 
appointments,  and  naming  the  man  selected  for  each, 
in  a  soft,  low  tone  of  voice,  as  he  wrote  it  down. 
Soon  Mr.  Morris,  who  was  now  wide  awake,  though 
perfectly  quiet,  heard  the  bishop  say,  "  Barnesville,  T. 
A.  Morris."  The  young  secretary  did  not  understand 
then,  what  he  had  abundant  opportunity  afterward  to 
learn,  that  necessity  will  sometimes  arise  for  changes 
in  the  appointments  after  the  first  scheme  is  made 
out.  He  said  nothing,  but  was  well  pleased  with  the 
arrangement,  as  Barnesville  was  one  of  the  best  cir- 
cuits in  the  Conference.  When  at  last,  however,  the 
appointments  were  announced  at  the  close  of  the 
Conference  session,  he  was  somewhat  surprised  to 
learn  that  his  destination  was  not  Barnesville,  but 
Zanesville  ! 

From  this  Conference  he  returned  to  his  family  at 
Marietta,  and  with  them  set  off  to  visit  their  friends 
in  Virginia,  after  an  absence -of  two  years.  On  the 
way  they  received  the  sad  intelligence  of  the  death 
of  his  father,  and  of  the  serious  illness  of  his  mother, 
who  died  some  days  after  their  arrival.  Their  end  was 
tranquil  and  peaceful  ;  for  they  had  both  been,  for  many 
years,  experimental,  practical  Christians.  But  deso- 
lation seemed  to  reign  through  all  the  walks  of  his 
once  cheerful  and  happy  home,  and  he  soon  hastened 
back  to  survey  a  new,  and,  to  him,  strange  field  of 
labor.  Zanesville  Circuit,  when  T.  A.  Morris  and 
Charles  Elliott  were  sent  to  it,  in  1818-19,  "included 
what  are  now  called  Zanesville  Station,  Cambridge 
Circuit,  Putnam  Circuit,  and  parts  of  others  ;"  and, 
in  the  following  year,  when   Samuel    Brockunier  and 

5 


50  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

James  Gil  ruth  were  his  colleagues,  "  it  was  so  en- 
larged as  to  include  Washington  and  Coshocton,  and 
the  intermediate  settlements.  Those  familiar  with 
that  region  can  easily  see  the  extent  of  the  circuit, 
by  running  a  supposed  line  from  Zanesville  to  Dilan's 
Iron-works,  and  curving  round  through  the  settle- 
ments on  Jonathan's  Creek  to  Wolf  Geek,  below 
M'Connellsviile;  thence  up  the  Muskingum,  on  the 
west  side  to  Putnam  and  Zanesville  ;  thence  south- 
east by  a  zigzag  route,  past  Chandler's  Salt-works, 
and  on  to  the  head  of  Wills  Creek,  and  all  the  neigh- 
borhoods down  to  Cambridge  ;  thence  to  Washington, 
Sugar  Creek,  Wagoner's  Plains,  Coshocton,  .  and 
Johnson's  Plains  ;  and,  finally,  by  numerous  angles 
and  right-angles  and  acute-angles,  back  to  Zanes- 
ville."    (Morris's  Miscellany,  page  245.) 

For  a  family  residence  on  this  circuit,  Mr.  Mor- 
ris obtained  a  one-story  log-cabin,  with  two  small 
rooms,  situated  on  the  commons  north-east  of  Cam- 
bridge, Guernsey  County.  This  humble  domicile  he 
fitted  up  in  the  cheapest  and  simplest  manner.  Of 
his  colleague  the  first  year  on  this  circuit,  Charles 
Elliott,  it  is  unnecessary  to  speak  at  length  here. 
His  name  has  since  become  a  household  word,  and 
his  fame  as  an  author  and  journalist  has  extended  far 
beyond  the  limits  of  his  own  denomination.  Dr. 
Elliott's  history  is  an  important  part  of  the  history 
of  American  Methodism,  and  must  ever  hold  a  high 
place  among  the  standard  biographical  literature  of 
the  Church  which  he  so  long  and  so  faithfully  served. 
It  need  hardly  be  said  that  T.  A.  Morris  and  Charles 
Elliott  worked  together  as  true  yokefellows,  with  the 


AN  INCIDENT.  5  I 

utmost  cordiality  and  in  uninterrupted  harmony 
during  the  year.  They  not  only  filled  all  the  regular 
appointments,  but  struck  out  into  the  regions  beyond, 
and,  wherever  a  destitute  neighborhood  was  found, 
the  standard  of  the  Cross  was  set  up.  Most  of  the 
country  was  new,  the  roads  were  very  bad,  the  houses 
were  open,  lodging  hard,  fare  coarse,  and  pay  very 
inconsiderable.  Indeed,  it  barely  sufficed  to  keep 
soul  and  body  together,  and  that  only  with  the  most 
rigid  economy. 

An  incident  that  occurred  about  this  time  in  the 
history  of  Mr.  Morris,  though  unimportant  in  itself, 
may  nevertheless  serve  to  illustrate  the  times  of 
which  we  write,  and,  also,  the  dealings  of  the  Lord 
with  his  servants.  It  occurred  at  the  beginning:  of 
the  first  year  on  Zanesville  Circuit.  Having  passed 
around  and  arranged  the  plan  of  the  work,  returning 
home  through  Zanesville,  Mr.  Morris  bought  cloth 
for  a  coat,  and  left  it  with  a  tailor  to  be  made  up  and 
ready  for  him  the  day  previous  to  his  first  Sabbath 
appointment  in  that  place,  as  he  had  no  coat  suitable 
to  wear  on  such  an  occasion  ;  Zanesville  being  even 
then  a  place  of  considerable  culture  and  refinement. 
Punctual  to  his  engagement  the  tailor  sent  the  coat, 
and  the  bill  also,  to  Mr.  Morris's  lodgings  on  Satur- 
day night.  It  was  paid  for  in  full;  but  the  preacher's 
purse  was  thereby  utterly  depleted — not  a  farthing 
being  left.  Still,  he  was  well  satisfied  to  have  his 
new  coat,  and  money  enough  to  pay  for  it ;  and  so  he 
gave  himself  no  anxiety  about  to-morrow.  On  Mon- 
day morning,  however,  he  was  obliged  to  make  an 
early  start   for  his    next    appointment.       Soon    after 


52  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

setting  out,  he  came  in  sight  of  a  toll-bridge  across 
the  Muskingum  River,  and  over  this  bridge  he  must 
pass  in  order  to  reach  his  appointment  ;  but  how  to 
accomplish  that  without  a  cent  of  money  in  his 
pocket,  became  now  an  embarrassing  question.  While 
examining  his  pockets  for  a  knife,  comb,  or  something 
that  would  be  accepted  as  a  pledge  until  his  next 
"  round,"  he  reached  the  gate,  and  a  lady  came  to  the 
door  to  receive  the  toll.  After  looking  at  him  closely 
for  a  moment,  she  remarked,  "  I  believe  you  go  free." 
He  thanked  her,  and  rode  on.  He  said  afterward, 
in  relating  this  incident,  that  he  never  saw  that  lady 
before  or  after  that  day,  and  that  during  his  two- 
years'  term  on  the  circuit,  this  was  the  only  time  he 
was  passed  free  through  that  bridge. 

Finding  the  affairs  of  the  circuit  generally  in  a 
very  unsatisfactory  condition,  he  applied  himself  at 
once  to  the  work  of  restoring  order,  enforcing  disci- 
pline, and  organizing  the  societies.  Boards  of  trustees 
were  convened,  vacancies  rilled,  and  old  debts  paid  or 
provided  for.  Fifty  nominal  members  were  excluded — 
some  for  immorality,  but  most  of  them  for  willfully 
neglecting  duty.  He  and  his  colleague  toiled  hard 
that  year,  and  gathered  some  lost  and  wandering 
sheep  into  the  fold  ;  but  in  consequence  of  a  rigid 
enforcement  of  discipline,  they  were  compelled,  at  its 
close,  to  report  a  slight  decrease.  In  1819  he 
attended  the  session  of  the  Conference  held  in  Cin- 
cinnati, and  saw  for  the  first  time  the  Queen  City  of 
the  West,  containing  at  that  date  a  population  of 
about  eight  thousand.  The  sittings  of  the  Conference 
were   held   in  the  old    stone    church    where    Wesley 


RETURNED    10  ZANESVILLE.  53 

Chapel  now  stands.  Mr.  Morris  soon  learned  that 
an  annual  conference  was  not  an  occasion  either 
for  idleness  or  recreation,  but  for  constant  and  often 
perplexing  business.  At  the  first  one  he  attended, 
the  year  before,  and  previous  to  his  admission  as  a 
member,  he  was  placed  on  the  Book  Committee;  at 
this  session  he  was  placed  on  the  Board  of  Stewards, 
a  responsible  and  laborious  position.  After  the 
appointments  had  been  announced,  Bishop  George, 
who  presided,  pleasantly  remarked  to  him  at  parting, 
"  Well,  Brother  Morris,  you  made  such  a  poor  out 
on  your  circuit  last  year,  we  have  sent  you  back  to 
do  your  work  over." 

His  colleague  this  year,  by  Conference  appoint- 
ment, was  Samuel  R.  Brockunier ;  but  at  the  close 
of  the  first  quarter,  the  presiding  elder,  Jonathan 
Stamper,  sent  James  Gilruth  to  their  relief,  and  they 
then  enlarged  the  circuit  extensively,  taking  into 
their  new  "  plan"  many  points  that  had  never  before 
been  occupied.  They  labored  incessantly  in  the  work 
of  organizing  new  societies  and  strengthening  old 
ones,  and  had  considerable  success.  More  than  two 
hundred  were  added  to  the  membership  of  the  circuit, 
and,  at  the  close  of  the  year,  a  net  increase  of  one 
hundred  and  eighty-seven  was  reported.  The  sup- 
port, however,  was  but  little  better  than  that  of  the 
year  previous.  Mr.  Morris  lived  this  year  in  Zanes- 
ville,  occupying  a  very  indifferent  frame  tenement, 
which  the  owner  kindly  tendered,  free  of  rent,  until 
he  had  other  use  for  it.  He  then  moved  into  the 
paint-shop  of  Mr.  Thomas  Moorhead,  situated  on  the 
rear  of  his    lot,    near   the   old    market-house.      This 


54  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

dwelling  also  was  furnished  free  of  rent  ;  terms  well 
adapted,  no  doubt,  to  the  financial  condition  of  the 
occupant,  whose  income  did  not  amount  to  enough 
to  buy  food  and  clothing  suitable  for  himself  and 
family. 

During  that  year,  at  a  time  when  he  and  his 
family  were  in  very  trying  circumstances,  being  in 
want  of  apparel  and  in  debt  for  provisions,  the  Lord 
raised  them  up  an  unexpected  friend  in  the  person  of 
Mr.  Pierce,  a  merchant  of  Zanesville.  This  gentleman 
was  not  a  professor  of  religion,  nor  even  a  stated 
hearer  at  the  Methodist  Church,  and  was,  besides,  a 
stranger  to  Mr.  Morris,  who  had  no  acquaintance 
with  him  whatever.  The  weary  itinerant,  on  reach- 
ing home  one  evening,  toil-worn  and  depressed  by  the 
gloomy  prospect  before  him,  unable  to  see  how  he 
could  much  longer  continue  in  the  work  with  his 
feeble  health  and  helpless  family,  was  surprised  to 
learn  that  Mr.  Pierce  had  called  on  Rev.  D.  Young  to 
inquire  into  his  history,  circumstances,  and  worldly 
prospects.  As  the  result  of  his  inquiries,  he  was 
soon  seen  on  the  streets  with  a  subscription  paper  in 
his  hand.  Meeting  a  member  of  the  Church,  who 
was  also  a  merchant,  the  following  conversation 
ensued  : 

Methodist.  What  are  you  doing,  Mr.  Pierce  ? 

Mr.  P.  I  am  making  an  effort  to  relieve  your 
minister. 

Methodist.  Well,  I  '11  give  something  to  help  in 
that  case. 

Mr.  P.  No,  sir  ;  your  name  do  n't  go  on  this 
paper,    nor  that  of    any   member    of    your  Church, 


REV.   S.   R.   BROCKUNIER.  55 

except  T.  Moorhead.  You  ought  to  be  ashamed  to 
let  such  a  man  suffer  while  laboring  for  your  good  ; 
this  effort  is  to  be  confined  to  poor  sinners  like 
myself. 

Mr.  Pierce  headed  the  list  with  a  subscription  of 
ten  dollars,  and  he  succeeded  very  quickly  in  collect- 
ing about  seventy-five  dollars.  This  occurred  near 
the  close  of  the  second  year,  and  was  regarded  by 
Mr.  Morris  as  a  providential  deliverance  from  a  very 
distressing  financial  embarrassment.  The  amount 
of  this  donation  may  now  seem  small,  and  to  many, 
perhaps,  the  incident  will  appear  trifling  ;  but  in  that 
day  the  support  of  Methodist  preachers  was  so  meagre, 
that  seventy-five  dollars  would  be  a  very  great  relief. 
During  the  first  twelve  years  of  the  ministry  of  Mr. 
Morris,  his  salary  averaged  one  hundred  and  sixty- 
six  dollars  and  sixty-six  and  two-third  cents,  as  his 
carefully-kept  private  accounts  show.  This  was  to 
pay  house-rent,  buy  fuel,  provisions,  and  clothing  for 
the  family,  entertain  company,  educate  the  children, 
pay  doctors'  bills,  public  and  private  charities,  books, 
horse,  etc.  During  the  two  years  of  labor  on  Zanes- 
ville  Circuit,  though  in  feeble  health,  Mr.  Morris  rode 
on  horseback  about  five  thousand  five  hundred  miles, 
and  preache'd  five  hundred  sermons.  Of  his  col- 
leagues this  year,  Rev.  James  Gilruth,  after  an 
active  life  in  the  pioneer  service  of  the  Church,  died, 
a  member  of  the  Upper  Iowa  Conference. 

Rev.  Samuel  R.  Brockunier  entered  the  itinerant 
ranks  in  1818.  The  record  of  his  long,  active,  and 
useful  service  extends  thus  far  back  into  the  heroic 
period  of  Methodism.     Wise  in  counsel,  earnest  and 


56  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

pathetic  in  the  pulpit,  affectionate  and  genial  in  the 
social  circle,  he  was  eminently  successful  in  his 
various  fields  of  labor. 

In  1820,  the  Ohio  Conference  met  in  Chillicothe, 
when  Mr.  Morris  was  elected  to  elder's  orders,  and 
ordained  by  Bishop  Roberts.  His  general  health 
was  so  now  enfeebled,  and  his  vocal  organs  so  im- 
paired by  excessive  labor  and  disease,  that  he 
deemed  it  proper  to  make  a  full  and  frank  communi- 
cation to  the  Conference,  leaving  to  their  godly 
judgment  the  question  of  his  future  relation  to  the 
work.  The  result  was,  that  he  was  placed  in  a  super- 
numerary relation ;  but  that  relation  was  a  far 
different  one  then,  practically,  from  what  it  has  been 
since.  He  was  appointed  to  Lancaster,  Ohio,  just 
constituted  a  station,  and  as  such  to  be  organized. 
His  labors  that  year  included  one  hundred  and  sixty 
sermons,  visits  to  the  country  involving  in  the  aggre- 
gate a  thousand  miles  of  travel,  and  a  trip  to 
Kentucky.  Yet  he  found  the  work  comparatively 
easy,  and  was  much  benefited  by  the  change,  both 
as  to  his  health  and  studies.  The  result  of  this 
year's  labors,  however,  did  not  show  much  apparent 
success.  Old  difficulties  of  a  personal  character 
among  the  members,  and  the  unfinished  state  of  the 
church,  were  serious  embarrassments  ;  but  under  a 
wise  and  prudent  administration,  peace  and  harmony 
were  restored,  and  the  foundation  laid  for  future 
prosperity.  Toward  the  end  of  this  year,  Bishops 
M'Kendree  and  Roberts,  on  their  way  to  the  Ohio 
Conference  at  Lebanon,  spent  a  few  days,  including 
a    Sabbath,    in    Lancaster.       During    this    episcopal 


TRANSFER    TO  KENTUCKY.  tf 

visitation,  it  was  agreed  and  arranged  that  Mr.  Morris 
should  be  transferred  to  Kentucky,  and,  instead  of 
going  to  his  own  Conference  at  Lebanon,  meet 
the  Bishops  at  Lexington,  the  seat  of  the  Kentucky 
Conference.  The  last  Sabbath  of  his  pastorate  in 
Lancaster,  the  pulpit  was  filled,  morning  and  evening, 
by  ministers  on  their  way  to  Conference  ;  but  the 
people  having  learned  of  the  proposed  transfer,  urged 
him  to  give  them  a  farewell  sermon.  An  appointment 
was  accordingly  made  for  such"  a  service,  to  be  held 
on  Monday  morning  at  sunrise.  The  house  was 
well  filled.  He  preached  a  tender,  affectionate  sermon 
from  the  words  :  "  And  now,  brethren,  I  commend 
you  to  God  and  to  the  word  of  his  grace,  which  is 
able  to  build  you  up,  and  to  give  you  an  inheritance 
among  all  of  them  which  are  sanctified."  (Acts 
xx,  32.)  At  the  close  of  the  service  he  proposed  that 
all  who  felt  willing  to  enter  into  a  solemn  covenant  to 
try  to  serve  God  and  meet  in  heaven,  should  signify 
the  same  by  giving  him  their  right  hand,  in  the 
presence  of  the  congregation,  while  a  hymn  was 
being  sung.  Nearly  the  whole  audience  moved  for- 
ward ;  tears  fell  fast  from  eyes  unused  to  weep  ;  a 
deep  and  powerful  religious  influence  seemed  to 
pervade  the  assembly,  as,  one  by  one,  they  bade  adieu 
to  a  faithful  minister  of  Christ  who  had  taught  them 
publicly  and  from  house  to  house. 

From  Lancaster  Mr.  Morris  went  to  Cabell 
County,  Virginia,  to  visit  his  relations,  among  whom 
his  family  remained  until  his  return  from  the  Ken- 
tucky Conference.  It  may  be  well  here  to  explain 
briefly  the   occasion   of  his    transfer   to    that  body : 


58  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

When  he  sold  his  land  in  Virginia,  to  engage  in  the 
work  of  the  ministry,  he  put  the  proceeds — about  five 
hundred  dollars — into  the  hands  of  his  brother  Ed- 
mund, then  on  the  eve  of  removing  to  Kentucky,  to 
be  invested  in  land  in  that  State,  which  was  accord- 
ingly done.  Afterward,  owing  to  the  unsettled  state 
of  the  currency  in  Kentucky,  and  other  causes,  it 
was  not  deemed  advisable  to  transfer  this  little  pecun- 
iary interest  to  Ohio.  Edmund  was  the  oldest 
brother,  and  had  been  chiefly  instrumental  in  the 
formation  of  the  business  and  social  habits  of  the 
younger  members  of  the  family.  By  his  advice,  there- 
fore, and  that  of  other  friends,  Mr.  Morris  was  led  to 
believe  that  it  would  be  the  wisest  course,  upon  the 
whole,  to  retain  his  temporal  interest  in  Kentucky, 
transfer  to  that  Conference,  and  pay  what  attention  he 
could  to  the  improvement  of  his  property,  while  per- 
forming ministerial  service  as  a  traveling  preacher. 
The  results  of  the  change,  however,  were  disappoint- 
ment, increased  pecuniary  embarrassment,  and  no 
little  personal  suffering.  He  always  felt,  nevertheless, 
that  the  dearly  bought  lessons  received  in  that  rough 
school  of  experience  during  a  seven-years'  campaign 
in  the  south-western  region  were  providential  and 
useful. 

After  a  tedious  journey,  he  and  his  family  arrived 
safely  in  their  new  field  of  labor,  Christian  Circuit, 
in  October,  1821.  But  their  household  goods,  sent 
by  wagon  to  Portsmouth,  thence  by  boat  to  Hender- 
son, Kentucky,  and  thence  by  wagon  again  to  the 
circuit,  did  not  reach  them  till  the  next  June.  This 
was,  of  course,  very  embarrassing.    They  were  com- 


PROCURING  SUPPLIES.  59 

pelled  to  procure  board  wherever  they  could,  for  the 
time  being,  and  get  along  without  their  Winter  cloth- 
ing as  best  they  could.  As  for  any  reliable,  regular 
provision  for  the  families  of  preachers  by  the  circuits 
of  that  day,  and  especially  in  that  region,  it  was  not 
attempted  ;  if,  indeed,  it  was  considered  by  the  stew- 
ards any  part  of  their  business.  At  the  first  quar- 
terly-meeting, the  presiding  elder,  Rev.  Charles  Holli- 
day,  called  attention  to  the  rule  requiring  a  committee 
to  estimate  the  amount  necessary  for  house-rent, 
fuel,  and  provisions  for  their  preacher ;  and  such  a 
committee  was  appointed,  consisting  of  three  of  the 
principal  men  of  the  circuit.  But  there  the  matter 
ended  ;  the  committee  never  reported — probably  never 
met  together  on  the  business  for  which  they  were 
appointed.  And  even  if  they  had  reported  an  esti- 
mate, it  is  extremely  doubtful  whether  any  attention 
would  have  been  paid  to  it.  One  brother  on  that 
circuit,  living  at  his  ease  on  an  excellent  farm,  being 
called  on  by  a  steward  for  his  quarterly  contribution, 
said  :  "  Morris  rides  a  larger  horse  and  wears  a  finer 
coat  than  I  do.  There  would  be  more  propriety  in 
his  helping  me,  and  I  shall  not  give  a  cent." 

Subsequently,  wishing  to  lay  in  his  supply  of  pork 
for  the  year,  Mr.  Morris  called  on  this  same  brother, 
who  was  his  near  neighbor,  to  make  the  needful  pur- 
chase. On  being  told  that  the  price  of  pork  was 
$4.50  per  hundred,  he  signified  his  willingness  to  buy 
it  at  that  rate  ;  but  the  brother,  fearing  possibly  that 
the  sale  might  not  be  a  cash  transaction,  said  :  "  The 
market  price  is  $4.50,  as  I  told  you  ;  but  you  can  't 
have    mine    under    $5."      It   is    hardly  necessary  to 


60  LIFi  BISHOP  MORRIS, 

add  that  the  preacher  looked  elsewhere  for  his  pork. 
Very  many  people  in  those  days  seemed  to  think  that 
it  was  conferring  quite  a  favor  on  the  preachers  to 
listen  to  their  sermons,  and  that  any  further  compen- 
sation would  be  superfluous.  But  fortunately  for  the 
cause  of  religion,  they  were  not  all  of  that  way  of  think- 
ing ;  otherwise  none  but  wealthy  ministers  could  have 
given  their  whole  time  and  strength  to  the  work  of  res- 
cuing blood-bought  souls  from  ignorance,  sin,  and  ruin. 
As  it  was,  some  of  them,  with  limited  resources,  were 
enabled  to  hold  out,  enduring  many  privations,  and  put- 
ting their  trust  in  Him  who  said,  "  Lo,  I  am  with  you." 
While  a  want  of  adequate  support  was  common  to 
the  whole  body  of  the  Methodist  ministry  in  that 
day,  so  that  in  this  respect  the  experience  of  Mr. 
Morris  was  not  at  all  peculiar,  there  was  one  difficulty 
under  which  he  labored  not  so  common  among  his 
brethren.  Many  of  the  people,  it  would  seem,  esti- 
mated a  preacher's  capability  of  usefulness  among 
them  by  his  lung-power — the  strength  of  his  voice — 
a  rule  which,  if  .not  universal,  was  far  too  general 
among  all  classes  of  hearers,  the  educated  and  the 
illiterate  ;  and,  as  Mr.  Morris's  lungs  were  at  best 
comparatively  weak,  and  now  especially  so  in  conse- 
quence of  a  diseased  liver,  his  prospects  for  reaching 
a  high  standard  of  excellence  in  the  pulpit  were  not 
the  most  flattering.  However,  he  was  encouraged  by 
the  declaration  of  the  Bible,  "  Not  by  might,  nor  by 
power,  but  by  my  Spirit,  saiih  the  Lord  of  hosts," 
and  felt  resolved  to  do  his  duty,  and  leave  results  to 
Him  who  only  can  give  the  increase. 

Following  the  written  plan  of  his  circuit  the  first 


STYLE   OF  PREACHING.  6 1 

round  of  appointments,  he  found  himself,  on  a  week- 
c  ay,  at  Colonel  Edward  Taylor's,  in  the  north-west 
part  of  Montgomery  County,  Tennessee.  The  colonel 
was  a  wealthy  planter;  had  a  classical  education; 
was  a  well-read  man,  and  a  devoted  Methodist ;  but 
his  notions  of  pulpit  power  and  ministerial  usefulness 
were  those  held  by  a  majority  of  the  people,  espe- 
cially in  the  South,  at  that  time.  Mr.  Morris  preached 
in  the  colonel's  parlor  to  twenty  or  thirty  neighbors, 
speaking  in  a  moderate,  conversational  tone  of  voice. 
There  was  not  an  individual  present  the  preacher  had 
ever  seen  before,  and  fully  half  the  congregation  re- 
mained for  dinner.  At  the  table  the  following  dia- 
logue took  place  : 

Colonel.  Well,  Brother  Morris,  was  your  preaching 
to-day  a  fair  specimen  of  your  manner? 

Morris.  Yes,  on  such  occasions,  to  a  small  con- 
gregation. 

Colonel.  Well,  such  preaching  may  answer  in  Ohio, 
for  aught  I  know,  but  it  will  never  do  any  good  in 
this  country.  We  like  to  hear  a  man  lay  it  on  till 
the  cries  of  sinners  and  the  shouts  of  Christians  are 
such  that  he  can  no  longer  hear  his  own  voice,  and 
then  we  are  willing  he  should  stop. 

Morris.  Well,  Colonel  Taylor,  I  do  not  know  much 
about  you  here  yet,  and  you  do  not  know  much  about 
me  ;  but  if  we  all  live,  by  the  grace  of  God  helping 
me,  I  will  convince  you,  before  all  is  over,  that  you 
are  mistaken. 

Here  the  conversation  on  that  subject  ended. 
The  remarks  of  the  colonel,  however  well  meant, 
appeared  to  the   preacher  quite  unseasonable  ;    more 


62  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

especially  as  there  happened  to  be  present  at  the 
table  a  very  intelligent  physician  from  a  neigh- 
boring county,  who,  though  a  courteous  gentleman, 
was  a  reputed  skeptic,  and  Mr.  Morris  feared  that  the 
table-talk  would  not  contribute  much  toward  the  re- 
moval of  his  difficulties.  Yet,  as  the  colonel  was  his 
superior  in  years  and  culture,  he  endeavored  to  re- 
ceive the  rebuke  in  the  spirit  of  meekness.  After  a 
few  visits  there,  his  congregations  greatly  increased, 
and  early  in  the  Spring  of  1822  he  dedicated  Piney 
Fork  Chapel,  erected  by  Colonel  Taylor  on  his  own 
land,  for  the  society  of  that  neighborhood.  His  text 
on  the  occasion  was,  "  In  all  places  where  I  record 
my  name  I  will  come  unto  thee,  and  I  will  bless 
thee."  (Exodus  xx,  24.)  As  he  was  closing  with  some 
practical  remarks,  one  point  was  enforced  earnestly  ; 
that  is,  that  they  should  all  pray  in  faith  to  the  Lord 
to  record  his  name  there  that  day  by  the  conversion 
of  at  least  one  soul.  While  speaking  to  the  class 
after  preaching,  he  observed  a  lady  present,  who  was 
not  a  member,  very  much  broken  up  in  her  feelings 
and  deeply  penitent,  whom  he  exhorted,  and  for 
whom  he  and  the  class  prayed  until  she  was  con- 
verted. That  lady  was  a  near  neighbor  of  Colonel 
Taylor's,  and  a  great  favorite  in  his  family.  The  little 
band  who  had  struggled  for  years  to  keep  up  an  or- 
ganized class  here  were  greatly  encouraged  by  this 
favorable  start  in  the  new  chapel. 

So  far,  the  preaching  here  had  all  been  done  on 
week-days,  but  believing  now  that  the  indications 
required  special  and  extra  efforts,  Mr.  Morris  ap- 
pointed a  two-days'  meeting  for  his  next  round,  so  as 


CHRISTIAN  CIRCUIT.  63 

to  include  Saturday  and  Sunday.  All  the  ministerial 
help  he  could  obtain  was  brother  John  Y.  Taylor,  a 
local  preacher  from  an  adjoining  neighborhood.  The 
love-feast  on  Sabbath  morning  was  a  time  of  spiritual 
refreshing,  and  at  eleven  o'clock,  though  the  day  was 
somewhat  inclement,  the  chapel  would  scarcely  hold 
the  people.  According  to  usage  on  such  occasions, 
in  the  country,  they  had  two  sermons  in  succession,  and 
Mr.  Morris  preached  last.  Near  the  close  of  his  dis- 
course, as  he  made  one  of  those  eloquent  and  powerful 
appeals  which  move  and  thrill  a  whole  congregation, 
there  was  a  visible  shaking  among  the  dry  bones. 
Penitents  were  invited  to  the  altar.  Quite  a  number 
responded  to  the  call.  Saving  power  came  down,  in 
answer  to  prayer,  and  in  a  few  minutes  five  souls 
were  born  into  the  kingdom,  and  rejoiced  greatly  in 
the  pardoning  love  of  God.  Among  the  happy  con- 
verts of  that  day  was  Colonel  Taylor's  youngest 
daughter.  As  they  passed  out  after  the  service  was 
over,  the  colonel  said  to  his  son,  "  Well,  Henry,  our  God 
is  working  all  things  about  right  here."  Mr.  Morris, 
overhearing  this  remark,  said,  pleasantly,  "  What  do 
you  think  now,  Colonel  ?  Will  this  easy  sort  of 
preaching  ever  accomplish  any  good  in  Tennessee  ?" 
<;  Ah,  I  give  it  up  !"  exclaimed  the  colonel,  warmly 
seizing  his  pastor  by  the  hand  ;  and  no  one  was  more 
urgent  than  Colonel  Taylor  to  have  Mr.  Morris 
reappointed  to  the  circuit  for  another  year. 

Christian  Circuit  at  that  time  embraced  all  of 
Christian  and  Todd  Counties,  most  of  Muhlenberg, 
and  parts  of  Butler  and  Logan  Counties,  in  Kentucky  ; 
and    parts  of    Montgomery  and   Stewart  Counties,  in 


64  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

Tennessee — a  territory  almost  large  enough  for  a 
modern  conference.  It  was  a  six-weeks'  circuit, 
about  three  hundred  miles  round,  with  forty  appoint- 
ments. Certainly,  the  Methodist  ministry  was  no 
sinecure  in  that  day.  It  was  considered  but  moderate 
work  to  preach  and  meet  class  once  a  day,  on  an 
average,  and  ride  eight,  ten,  or  fifteen  miles.  Preach- 
ing-places were  not  only  far  apart  in  general,  but  the 
way  from  one  to  another  was  extremely  difficult,  in 
many  cases  being  only  a  dim  path.  Some  of  the 
Methodist  preachers,  in  early  times,  carried  a  hatchet 
to  mark  the  trees  in  a  certain  way,  at  each  place 
where  they  had  to  turn  off  from  the  main  track. 
And  when  they  were  favored  with  plainer  roads,  they 
were  not  well  improved  ;  and  they  had  to  contend  con- 
stantly with  mud,  water,  and  quicksand,  swamps,  and 
pole-bridges.  In  the  Winter  season,  when  the  weather 
was  rough,  the  days  short,  and  the  roads  in  the  worst 
state,  it  required  great  effort  to  keep  up  with  the  ap- 
pointments. Sometimes  twelve,  fifteen,  or  twenty  miles 
must  be  traveled  to  meet  a  morning  appointment. 
Mr.  Morris  relates*  that  he  had  sometimes,  when  far 
from  home,  risen  long  before  day,  gone  to  the  wood- 
pile covered  with  snow,  and  fished  out  the  wood,  a 
piece  at  a  time,  packed  it  on  his  shoulder,  built  a 
fire,  and  then  roused  the  family  to  get  him  a  hasty 
breakfast,  in  order  that  he  might  be  off  in  good  time. 
In  that  day,  too,  preachers  were  expected  to  be 
punctual,  and  to  preach,  whether  their  hearers  were 
many  or  few.  During  his  second  year  on  Christian 
Circuit,  Mr.  Morris  rode  nine  miles,  to  a  place  called 

*  "Morris's  Miscellany,"  page  248. 


SPARSE   CONGREGATION.  65 

Dunham's  School-house,  where  he  had  an  engagement 
to  preach.  The  school-house  was  among  the  Knobs, 
north-east  part  of  Christian  County,  situated  on  the 
west  point  of  a  ridge,  in  an  exposed  position,  being 
an  open  log  building  covered  with  clapboards.  The 
north-west  wind  was  piercing  cold,  so  much  so  as  to 
prevent  the  people  from  turning  out.  However,  four 
persons  attended — three  of  them  members  of  the 
society,  and  one  a  young  woman,  not  a  member  of 
Church.  These,  the  preacher  found  shivering  round 
a  small  fire.  Being  very  cold  himself,  he  went  to 
the  woods,  gathered  as  much  dry  wood  as  he  could 
find,  and  made  a  large  fire.  The  chimney  was  as 
broad  as  the  end  of  the  house.  The  preacher  stood 
in  one  corner,  an  old  brother  sat  in  the  other,  and 
the  three  women  in  front  of  the  fire.  The  hymn 
was  sung,  the  prayer  offered,  and  the  sermon 
preached,  just  as  if  the  house  had  been  full  ;  after- 
ward they  were  examined  as  in  class-meeting.  They  all 
wept,  one  shouted  for  joy,  and  the  non-professor  being 
seriously  affected,  a  short  prayer-meeting  was  held  for 
her  special  benefit.  She  became  from  that  hour  an 
earnest  seeker  after  salvation,  and  was  soon  converted. 
Mr.  Morris  then  returned  home,  nine  miles,  without 
his  dinner  ;  and  he  tells  us  that,  although  he  suffered 
some  with  cold,  he  did  not  regret  going. 

6 


66  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 


CHAPTER    III. 

ITINERANT  LABORS APPOINTED  PRESIDING  ELDER  OF  GREEN- 
RIVER   DISTRICT. 

AN  incident  which  occurred  on  this  circuit  in  the 
Winter  of  1822-23,  well  illustrates  the  hard- 
ships through  which  our  fathers  in  the  ministry  were 
called  to  pass.  Mr.  Morris  had  added  a  new  preaching- 
place  to  his  plan,  near  what  was  called  the  Ponny 
Woods,  in  the  southern  part  of  Todd  County.  When 
leaving  that  place  the  first  time,  before  he  had  learned 
the  way  across  to  Stemmond's  School-house,  he  asked 
for  directions,  and  was  told  to  pass  around  the  farm 
(on  which  he  had  just  established  the  new  appoint- 
ment) to  the  east  side,  and  there  to  take  a  dim  track, 
which  he  would  find  winding  around  the  pond.  It 
happened,  however,  that  before  he  reached  the  proper 
one,  another  dim  cart-road  turned  off,  apparently  in 
the  right  direction,  and  he  took  that,  supposing  that 
he  was  following  the  directions  given.  But  it  proved 
to  be  a  way  leading  into  the  pond,  made  for  the  pur- 
pose of  hauling  timber  out  of  it  in  Summer,  when  the 
pond  was  partly  dry.  He  was  mounted  on  a  power- 
ful horse  called  the  "White  Bear;"  but,  unfortunately, 
his  iron  shoes  had  been  on  so  long  that  they  were 
worn  perfectly  smooth.  The  snow  lay  six  or  eight 
inches  deep,  the  weather  was  unusually  cold,  and  the 


HARDSHIPS  AND  PERILS.  6j 

pond  full  of  water  from  the  heavy  Fall  rains.  After 
going  some  distance  he  came  to  ice  in  the  road, 
which,  however,  being  formed  on  shallow  water, 
yielded  readily  to  the  horse's  feet,  and  he  passed 
safely  over  it,  congratulating  himself  that  he  was  in 
the  right  path,  "edging  the  pond,"  as  the  farmer,  at 
whose  house  he  had  preached,  directed  him  to  do. 
Soon  he  came  to  ice  more  difficult,  tried  in  vain  to 
find  some  way  around  it,  and  was  compelled  at  last 
to  dismount  and  lead  "White  Bear"  across — a  feat  of 
great  difficulty  for  a  smooth-shod  horse  ;  but  they 
passed  over  safely.  After  firm  road  for  a  few  hun- 
dred yards,  he  reached  a  point  where  there  was 
smooth,  glassy  ice  for  some  thirty  rods,  and  no  pos- 
sible way  to  avoid  it.  This,  thought  the  preacher,  is 
"  edging  the  pond "  with  a  vengeance  ;  but  beyond 
this  sheet  of  ice  he  observed  that  the  ground  rose 
somewhat  abruptly,  and  he  concluded  that,  once  safely 
over  here,  his  troubles  would  be  ended  for  that  day. 
At  all  events,  there  seemed  no  way  round  the  diffi- 
culty, and  no  time  was  to  be  lost,  or  he  would  fail  to 
reach  his  next  appointment.  Again  he  dismounted, 
took  the  bridle-reins  in  his  right-hand,  flung  his  sad- 
dle-bags over  his  left  shoulder,  and  started  on  the 
perilous  passage.  In  a  very  few  moments  the  horse's 
feet  flew  from  under  him,  throwing  him  heavily  upon 
the  ice.  The  noble  steed  struggled  hard  to  regain  his 
footing  ;  when  nearly  righted,  his  feet  repeatedly  slipped, 
and  he  got  some  terrible  falls.  At  last,  however,  after 
many  unsuccessful  attempts,  he  stood  upright.  Mr. 
Morris  fearing  another  accident  of  the  same  sort,  and 
understanding  that  the  liability  to  a  similar  mishap 


68  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

would  be  increased  by  leading  the  animal  slowly,  now 
pulled  off  his  boots,  and,  leading  the  horse,  ran  before 
as  fast  as  he  could,  in  his  stockings.  They  went 
with  a  rush,  the  preacher  running  and  the  horse 
skating,  until  they  neared  the  shore,  when  the  ice 
gave  way,  and  let  them  both  into  the  water.  For- 
tunately it  was  not  very  deep,  and  they  got  to  shore 
without  much  difficulty.  But  great  was  the  surprise 
of  Mr.  Morris,  on  ascending  the  high  point  of  ground 
which  he  had  reached  with  so  much  difficulty  and 
peril,  when  he  discovered  that  for  a  quarter  of  a  mile 
before  him  lay  an  unbroken  expanse  of  smooth  ice, 
and  that,  apparently,  over  very  deep  water !  The 
truth  then  flashed  upon  his  mind  that  he  had,  through 
careless  directions,  lost  his  way,  and  that  he  was  en- 
tering the  worst  section  of  the  "  Ponny  Woods/'  To 
go  forward  was  impossible,  and  to  retrace  his  steps 
would  be  at  the  risk  of  losing  his  valuable  horse, 
without  which  he  could  not  fill  his  appointments. 
First  of  all,  he  sat  down  on  a  fallen  tree  and  put  on 
dry  stockings  and  his  boots  ;  then,  leaving  "  White 
Bear  "  alone,  he  returned  on  foot  to  the  house  whence 
he  started,  about  two  miles  distant,  the  walk  proving, 
in  the  deep  snow,  a  very  tiresome  one.  At  the  house 
he  obtained  the  aid  of  two  colored  men,  who  went 
back  with  him,  and  by  "roughing"  the  ice  with  an 
ax,  got  the  horse  safely  out  by  the  same  way  they 
went  in.  It  was  two  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  when 
they  got  fairly  out  of  the  difficulty — too  late,  of 
course,  to  meet  the  appointment  of  that  day.  Next 
day  Mr.  Morris  was  attacked  with  rheumatism,  from 
which   he   did    not   wholly   recover   for  many  weeks; 


AN  ODD  MISTAKE.  69 

notwithstanding  which,  he  remained  on  his  circuit, 
and  filled  his  appointments  regularly,  even  when  he 
required  assistance  to  mount  and  dismount  his  horse, 
and  was  unable  to  stand  long  enough  to  preach. 

It  was  during  his  first  year  on  Christian  Circuit 
that  Mr.  Morris,  by  an  odd  slip  of  memory,  and  the 
unskillfulness  of  his  informant,  preached  the  funeral 
sermon  of  a  living  man.*  Funeral  discourses  in  that 
country  were  not  usually  delivered  on  the  day  of  in- 
terment, but  often  weeks  or  months  subsequently. 
It  was  also  the  custom,  especially  of  the  more  wealthy, 
to  give  a  costly  dinner  to  all  the  friends  and  neigh- 
bors of  the  bereaved  family  in  attendance  at  the  fu- 
neral ;  and  some,  who  were  not  very  scrupulous,  had 
their  funeral  dinners  on  the  Sabbath,  so  as  to  secure  a 
large  attendance.  One  of  the  Wednesday  appoint- 
ments of  the  circuit  was  at  Shiloh,a  country  meeting- 
house, in  Montgomery  County,  Tennessee.  Among 
the  members  of  the  society  there  were  Wesley  Ver- 
hine  and  his  mother-in-law,  a  pious  old  lady  named 
Howell,  who  lived  in  his  family.  These  individuals 
resided  some  twelve  miles  west  of  the  place,  in  a 
neighborhood  where  they  had  neither  class  nor  stated 
preaching  nearer  than  Shiloh.  One  day,  in  the  year 
1822,  after  preaching  and  meeting  class  at  Shiloh, 
Wesley  Verhine  requested  Mr.  Morris  to  preach  a 
funeral  sermon  of  his  brother's  child,  in  his  own 
neighborhood,  during  the  next  round. 

While  Mr.  Verhine  and  the  preacher  were  talking- 
over  this  matter  and  fixing  a  time  for  the  service,  the 
brethren  and  sisters  of  the  Shiloh  society,  glad  to  see 

*  Ladies'  Repository,  1 853. 


JO  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

their  pastor,  were  crowding  around  him  with  their 
warm  hand-shakings,  and  pressing  invitations  to  dine. 
He  became  somewhat  confused  by  the  superabundant 
offers  of  hospitality,  and  from  that  moment  the  idea 
of  the  funeral  was  entirely  forgotten,  till  he  had  gone 
round  his  six-weeks'  circuit,  returned  to  Shiloh, 
preached  and  met  class  as  usual,  when  Mr.  Verhine 
said  to  him,  "  We.  expect  you  at  the  funeral  next 
Sabbath." 

"  What  funeral  ?" 

"  At  my  brother's,  in  our  neighborhood.  Brother 
Gaines  published  that  you  would  preach  the  funeral 
sermon,  instead  of  preaching  at  White's." 

Now,  the  original  conversation  concerning  the 
funeral,  which  took  place  six  weeks  before,  had  passed 
from  the  mind  of  Mr.  Morris  entirely.  He  therefore 
hesitated  a  little  about  consenting  ;  but  knowing  Mr. 
Gaines  to  be  a  very  prudent  man,  concluded  that  if 
he  had  made  the  arrangement  there  must  have  been 
sufficient  reason  for  it,  and  so  he  agreed  to  go;  at 
the  same  time  requesting  Mr.  Verhine  to  meet  him 
at  WThite's  on  Sabbath  morning,  in  order  that  they 
might  go  together,  the  way  being  somewhat  difficult 
to  find.  Accordingly,  at  the  appointed  hour,  on 
Sabbath  morning,  the  guide  and  some  half-dozen 
friends  met  the  preacher  at.  White's,  and  they  all  set 
ofT  together  for  the  funeral.  They  moved  along  in 
single-file,  on  horseback,  by  a  dim  path,  much  of 
which  was  overhung  with  brushwood,  and,  of  course, 
unfavorable  to  the  social  arrangement  of  riding  two 
and  two  abreast.  As  soon,  however,  as  an  opportu- 
nity offered,    Mr.   Morris   determined   to   learn  some- 


GETTING  AT   THE  FACTS.  j\ 

thing  more  definite  respecting  the  case  in  hand,  so 
that  he  might  not  feel  wholly  unprepared  for  the 
solemn  duties  of  the  day.  He  therefore  rode  along- 
side of  Mr.  Verhine,  and  inquired  : 

14  Was  the  man  whose  funeral  sermon  I  am  to 
preach  to-day,  an  old  or  a  young  man  ?" 

"  He  is  about  forty-three  years  old." 

"  Had  he  a  family  ?" 

"  He  has  a  wife  and  three  or  four  children." 

"  Was  he  a  professor  of  religion  ?" 

"  He  is  not  a  member  of  any  Church." 

Mr.  Morris  observed  that  the  replies  were  all 
given  in  the  present  tense  ;  but  this  he  attributed  to 
the  awkwardness  of  the  speaker,  not  suspecting  that 
there  could  be  any  misunderstanding.  The  dia- 
logue ended  ;  he  dropped  back  into  the  regular  line 
in  a  contemplative  mood,  thankful  to  have  obtained 
the  material  points  of  the  whole  case  :  The  subject  of 
the  funeral  was  past  middle  life  ;  was  the  head  of  a 
family,  and  not  professedly  pious.  In  view  of  this 
information  he  selected  a  text,  and  shaped  the  outline 
of  a  funeral  discourse  in  his  own  mind,  as  the  com- 
pany rode  silently  toward  yie  place.  By  and  by  they 
came  in  view  of  "the  house  of  mourning,"  surrounded 
with  numerous  horses  and  quite  a  large  concourse  of 
people  for  a  sparsely  settled  country  place.  As  there 
was  no  church  in  the  neighborhood,  the  service  was 
held  in  the  house  of  the  bereaved  family.  It  was 
tolerably  large,  but  was  very  much  crowded.  With 
some  difficulty  the  preacher  entered,  and  found  his 
way  to  a  back  window,  where  a  chair  and  small  table 
were  provided  for  his  accommodation. 


72  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

After  marking  the  appropriate  hymns  and  Scrip- 
ture lessons,  he  cast  his  eye  over  the  congregation, 
and  seeing  several  ladies  dressed  in  mourning,  selected 
the  one  whom  he  supposed  to  be  the  sorrowful  widow. 
In  the  first  prayer  some  allusion  was  made  to  the 
lonely  widow  and  disconsolate  orphans,  whose  be- 
reavement of  their  husband  and  father  had  occasioned 
the  solemn  meeting,  etc.  The  text  was:  "But  man 
dieth,  and  wasteth  away  ;  yea,  man  dieth  and  giveth 
up  the  ghost,  and  where  is  he  ?"  (Job  xiv,  10.)  While 
enforcing  the  final  interrogatory,  u  Where  is  he  ?"  Mr. 
Morris  dwelt  pretty  fully  on  the  state  of  disembodied 
spirits,  both  righteous  and  unrighteous,  and  concluded 
the  whole  discourse  in  nearly  the  following  words: 

"  Respecting  the  subject  of  this  funeral  occasion, 
I  know  but  little,  and  therefore  can  say  but  little,  as 
I  never  had  the  pleasure  of  any  acquaintance  with 
him,  and,  indeed,  never  saw  him,  to  my  knowledge. 
I  have  been  informed  that  he  lived  to  be  a  man 
past  the  middle  of  life,  that  he  has  left  a  companion 
and  several  children  to  mourn  their  sad  loss,  and  that 
he  was  not  a  professor  of  religion.  As  to  his  moral 
and  social  habits  and  general  character,  they  were, 
doubtless,  much  better  known  to  his  neighbors  and 
friends  here  present  than  to  me.  It  is  not  my  pre- 
rogative or  wish  to  pass  sentence  for  or  against  any. 
I  leave  him  where  I  leave  myself  and  all  others^  in 
the  hands  of  a  just  and  merciful  God.  '  The  Judge 
of  all  the  earth  will  do  right.'" 

While  making  these  remarks,  the  preacher  ob- 
served a  man  on  his  left,  seated  upon  a  chair, 
apparently  much  agitated.     When   the  service  closed, 


FUNERAL   SERMON.  73 

this  gentleman  invited  Mr.  Morris  to  remain  for  din- 
ner ;  but  he  excused  himself  on  the  ground  of  a  pre- 
engagement,  and  as  soon  as  he  could  get  out,  started 
for  the  residence  of  Wesley  Verhine,  accompanied  by 
that  brother,  his  wife,  and  Mrs.  Howell.  By  appoint- 
ment previously  made,  he  had  agreed  to  dine  with 
them  that  day.  Nothing  was  said  respecting,  the 
solemn  occasion  till  they  had  proceeded  some  con- 
siderable distance,  when  the  good  old  lady  could  hold 
in  no   longer.     With  a  long-drawn  sigh,  she  said  : 

"La  me!  brother;  you  made  a  great  mistake 
to-day  !" 

"  That  is  possible,"  said  Mr.  Morris,  "  I  am  liable 
to  mistakes  ;  but  I  did  not  observe  it  to-day.  What 
was   it,   Sister  Howell  ?" 

"  Why,  you  kept  talking  about  the  man  whose 
funeral  you  were  preaching,  and  the  subject  of  the 
funeral  was  a  little  bit  of  a  baby  that  got  burned  to 
death  !" 

"  Baby  !  I  preached  the  funeral  sermon  of  the 
man  of  the  house." 

"  Well,  I  thought  so  ;  but  it  was  a  mistake.  The 
one  that  died  was  his  child  ;  and  the  man  whose 
funeral  sermon  you  preached  is  alive  and  well.  He 
sat  within  six  feet  of  you  to-day,  and  heard  all  you 
said  about  him.  It  was  he  who  invited  you  to  stay 
for  dinner." 

The  amazement  and  mortification  of  the  preacher 
at  this  unexpected  turn  of  affairs  may  be  more  easily 
imagined  than  described. 

On  this  large  circuit,  Mr.  Morris  labored  for  some 
months,    the    first    year,  without    a    colleague  ;    Rev. 

7 


74  LIFE   OF  BISHOP   MORRIS. 

Philip  Kennerly,  who  had  been  appointed  junior 
preacher,  having  died  soon  after  Conference.  Rev. 
Richard  Gaines,  brother-in-law  of  Dr.  Cartwright, 
was  employed  finally  as  assistant  preacher,  and  did 
good  service.  Rev.  Major  Stanfleld  was  helper  on 
the  circuit  the  second  year.  During  these  two  years 
Mr.  Morris  traveled  about  five  thousand  miles,  and 
preached  not  less  than  five  hundred  times,  besides 
performing  all  the  other  duties  of  preacher  in  charge. 

The  Conference  in  1823  met  at  Maysville,  Ken- 
tucky, more  than  two  hundred  and  fifty  miles  from 
Christian  Circuit.  Mr.  Morris's  horse  not  being  then 
in  a  condition  to  make  so  long  and  difficult  a  journey, 
it  was  reluctantly  given  up.  Peter  Cartwright  called 
on  his  way  home  from  Maysville,  and  informed  Mr. 
Morris  that  he  was  stationed  at  Hopkinsville  ;  and, 
also,  that  he  was  elected  a  delegate  to  the  General 
Conference  of  1824,  to  be  held  in  Baltimore.  For 
some  months  Mr.  Morris  had  been  residing  at  Elkton, 
county-seat  of  Todd  County,  and  as  there  was  no 
provision  made  for  his  family  in  Hopkinsville  Station, 
it  was  thought  best  for  them  to  remain  at  Elkton,  for 
the  time  being,  especially  as  they  were  living  in  their 
own  property.  Soon  after  the  Maysville  Conference, 
Bishop  M'Kendree  was  a  guest  at  their  house.  In 
the  course  of  conversation,  one  day,  the  bishop  said, 
"Have  you  bought  this  house,  brother?"  "Yes, 
sir."  "  Is  it  paid  for  ?"  "  Yes,  sir."  "  Then  enjoy  it 
while  you  can  ;  but  be  ready  to  leave  it  at  a  moment's 
warning." 

The  last  week  of  March,  1824,  he  set  off  on  his  jour- 
ney to  Baltimore,  passing  through  Lexington;  thence  on 


JESSE    WALKER.  75 

to  Western  Virginia;  thence  up  the  Kanawha  Valley, 
and  on  through  Lewisburg,  Harrisburg,  Alexandria, 
and  Washington  City.  This  journey  of  eight  hundred 
miles  was  made  on  horseback,  and  that,  too,  when  the 
roads  were  in  the  worst  condition.  At  Lewisburg, 
Virginia,  he  fell  in  company  with  Rev.  Jesse  Walker, 
a  delegate  from  Missouri,  and  a  noted  pioneer  of 
Methodism  in  what  was  then  known  as  the  Far  West. 

From  an  interesting  biographical  sketch  of  this 
hardy  backwoods  preacher,*  we  learn  that  he  was 
about  five  feet  six  inches  in  height,  of  slender  form, 
sallow  complexion,  light  hair,  small  blue  eyes,  and 
pleasant  countenance.  His  dress  was  uniformly  the 
plain,  drab-colored  cloth  in  vogue  among  the  Quakers, 
white  neck-cloth,  and  light-colored  beaver  hat,  with  a 
very  broad  brim. 

As  to  his  mental  furniture,  he  was  without  educa- 
tion, except  the  elementary  branches  of  English, 
imperfectly  acquired.  He  had,  however,  a  good  share 
of  common  sense  ;  had  read  a  good  deal,  and  had 
seen  much  of  the  world  with  keen,  observant  eyes. 
His  memory  was  stored  with  a  vast  fund  of  incidents 
peculiar  to  a  frontier  life,  which  he  communicated 
with  much  ease  and  force,  rendering  him  very 
attractive  in  the  social  circle.  He  was  admitted  as  a 
traveling  preacher  in  the  Western  Conference  in 
1802,  and  appointed  to  Red-river  Circuit,  in  Ten- 
nessee. In  1806  he  was  appointed  to  Illinois.  The 
work  had  no  designation  on  the  Minutes  but  Illinois. 
Of  course  it  was  a  mission,  embracing  the  entire 
population  of  that  Territory,  and  it  was  under  the 
*"  Morris's    Miscellany,"  page  179. 


•j6  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

superintendence  of  Rev.  William  M'Kendree,  after- 
ward bishop,  but  then  presiding  elder  of  Cumberland 
District.  Between  Kentucky  and  the  interior  of 
Illinois  was  then  a  wilderness,  and  to  reach  the 
mission  was  difficult.  The  enterprising  M'Kendree 
determined  to  accompany  the  missionary  through  the 
wilderness,  and  aid  him  in  forming  his  plan  and 
commencing  the  work.  They  put  off  together  on 
horseback,  camped  in  the  wild  woods  every  night, 
roasted  their  own  meat,  and  slept  on  their  saddle- 
blankets  under  the  blue  canopy  of  heaven.  No  less 
than  seven  times  they  were  compelled  to  swim  swollen 
streams,  which  was  often  as  perilous  as  disagreeable  ; 
but  in  due  time,  by  the  blessing  of  God,  they  reached 
their  destination  safely. 

Mr.  M'Kendree  remained  a  few  weeks,  visited  the 
principal  neighborhoods,  aided  in  forming  a  plan  of 
appointments  for  the  mission,  and  then  departed  for 
Missouri,  to  visit  a  mission  there.  Jesse  Walker, 
though  left  alone  in  his  new  field  of  labor,  was  not 
discouraged.  After  pursuing  the  regular  plan  of  ap- 
pointments until  obliged,  by  the  severity  of  the  Win- 
ter, to  suspend  that  mode  of  operating,  he  began  to 
preach  from  house  to  house,  or,  rather,  from  cabin  to 
cabin,  continuing  this  method  until  the  Winter  broke. 
Shortly  after  this,  a  young  preacher  was  sent  to  his 
relief.  Being  thus  re-enforced,  Jesse  determined  to 
include  a  camp-meeting  in  the  plan  of  the  Summer's 
campaign.  Arrangements  were  accordingly  made, 
and  the  meeting  took  place.  It  was  a  time  of  great 
religious  interest  ;  and  the  open-air  services  were 
continued   till,   as   Jesse   Walker   expressed    it,    "  the 


MISSION  IN  ST.  LOUIS.  77 

last  stick  of  timber  was  used  up  ;"  that  is,  till  the 
last  sinner  left  on  the  ground  was  converted. 

Jesse  Walker's  next  field  of  labor  was  Mis- 
souri, which,  as  may  be  supposed,  was  similar  to  that 
of  Illinois.  From  that  time  he  operated  in  the  two 
Territories,  till,  in  18 12,  he  was  appointed  presiding 
elder  of  Illinois  District,  which  included  all  the 
ground  then  occupied  in  Illinois  and  Missouri. 

In  1820,  Mr.  Walker  formed  the  purpose  of  plant- 
ing the  standard  of  Methodism  in  St.  Louis,  where, 
up  to  that  time,  Methodist  preachers  had  found  no 
rest  for  the  soles  of  their  feet.  He  engaged  two 
young  preachers,  of  undoubted  zeal  and  courage,  to 
aid  him  in  the  difficult  work.  When  they  reached 
St.  Louis,  the  Territorial  Legislature  was  there  in  ses- 
sion, and  every  public  place  appeared  to  be  full.  The 
missionaries  tried  in  vain  to  obtain  private  lodgings. 
When  they  announced  the  object  of  their  visit,  some 
would  laugh,  and  others  curse  them  to  their  faces. 
Thus  repulsed  and  embarrassed,  they  rode  into  the 
Public  Square,  and  held  a  council  on  their  horses. 
The  young  preachers  expressed  strong  doubts  as  to 
their  being  in  the  order  of  Providence.  Their  leader 
tried  to  rally  and  encourage  them,  but  in  vain  ;  they 
took  leave  of  Mr.  Walker,  and  rode  out  of  the  city. 
It  was  an  hour,  no  doubt,  of  sore  disappointment,  and 
perhaps  despondency,  to  the  pioneer.  After  sitting 
for  some  time  alone,  pondering  the  situation,  he  said 
to  himself,  "I  will  go  to  the  State  of  Mississippi,  and 
hunt  up  the  lost  sheep  of  the  house  of  Israel." 
Suiting  the  action  to  the  word,  he  turned  his  horse 
in  that  direction,  and  rode  off  alone. 


7  8  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

Having  proceeded  about  eighteen  miles,  con- 
stantly ruminating  with  anguish  of  spirit  upon  his 
failure  in  St.  Louis,  praying  without  ceasing  for  help 
and  guidance,  he  came  to  a  halt,  and  for  a  moment 
thus  soliloquized:  "Was  I  ever  defeated  before  in 
this  blessed  work  ?  Never.  Did  any  one  ever  trust 
in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  get  confounded?  No  : 
and,  by  the  grace  of  God,  I  will  go  back  and  take  St. 
Louis."  Turning  about,  without  seeking  either  rest 
or  refreshment  for  man  or  beast,  he  retraced  his  steps 
to  the  city  ;  and,  with  some  difficulty,  procured  lodg- 
ing in  an  indifferent  tavern,  where  the  charges  alone 
were  first-class.  Next  morning  he  commenced  a  sur- 
vey of  the  ground  ;  sought  carefully  for  some  suitable 
place  in  which  to  hold  worship,  and  at  length  suc- 
ceeded in  obtaining  the  use  of  a  temporary  place  of 
worship  occupied  by  a  few  Baptists.  But  few  at- 
tended his  first  service,  and  nothing  special  occurred. 
During  the  second  effort,  however,  there  were  indica- 
tions of  deep  religious  feeling,  and  the  Baptists  closed 
their  doors  against  him.  He  then  found  a  large  but 
unfinished  dwelling-house,  which  he  rented  for  ten 
dollars  a  month.  Here  he  commenced  preaching 
regularly,  twice  on  the  Sabbath,  and  occasionally  on 
other  evenings  of  the  week.  At  the  same  time  he 
gave  notice  that,  if  there  were  any  poor  parents  who 
wished  their  children  taught  to  spell  and  read,  he 
would  teach  them  five  days  in  the  week  without 
charge  ;  and  if  there  were  any  who  wished  their 
servants  to  learn,  he  would  teach  them  of  evenings 
on  the  same  terms. 

Being  obliged  to  vacate  his  temporary  chapel  ere- 


GENERAL   CONFERENCE,    1824.  79 

long,  he  resolved  to  build  a  church.  A  citizen  gave 
the  necessary  lumber,  and  very  soon  an  unpretending 
chapel  was  erected.  From  various  unexpected  sources 
came  donations  of  seats,  pulpit,  Bible,  etc.;  and,  as 
a  result  of  Jesse  Walker's  first  year  in  St.  Louis, 
he  reported  to  Conference  a  snug  little  chapel  erected 
and  paid  for,  a  flourishing  school,  and  seventy  mem- 
bers. He  was  continued  in  charge  of  the  mission 
for  another  year,  and  enjoyed  a  good  degree  of  pros- 
perity. He  afterward  labored  with  great  zeal  and 
success  among  the  Indian  tribes  up  the  Mississippi. 
His  ashes  now  quietly  sleep  in  Illinois,  the  scene  of 
his  earliest  missionary  labors. 

The  General  Conference  of  1824  commenced  its 
session  in  the  city  of  Baltimore,  on  the  first  day  of 
May.  One  hundred  and  thirty-three  delegates,  rep- 
resenting twelve  conferences,  were  present.  Bishops 
M'Kendree,  George,  and  Roberts  alternately  presided. 
The  first  day  of  the  session  was  taken  up  almost 
wholly  with  the  organization  of  the  Conference,  ap- 
pointment of  committees,  etc.  On  the  second  day, 
two  delegates  from  the  Wesleyan  Conference,  in 
England,  were  introduced  by  Bishop  M'Kendree. 
These  brethren — Rev.  Richard  Reece  and  Rev.  John 
Hannah — had  been  sent  over  with  the  fraternal  greet- 
ings of  their  Conference,  and  were  the  bearers  of  an 
address  to  that  effect,  which  evinced  the  kindest  sym- 
pathy with  the  Church  in  this  country,  and  a  strong 
desire  to  cultivate  more  intimate  friendly  relations 
with  it. 

The  bishops  presented  their  Quadrennial  Address, 
in  which   they  referred    to  the  general   state  of  the 


80  LIFE  OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

work,  recommended  an  increase  of  the  number  of  bish- 
ops, advised  sundry  changes  in  the  boundary-lines  of 
several  annual  conferences,  called  attention  to  the 
financial  system  of  the  Church,  the  necessity  of  pro- 
viding the  means  of  education  for  the  children  of  the 
Church,  etc. 

The  subject  of  education  seems  to  have  claimed  a 
large  share  of  the  attention  of  this  Conference,  and  no 
wonder  ;  a  great  multitude  of  young  people  had  been 
gathered  into  the  Church,  and  the  duty  of  providing  for 
these  the  means  of  mental  and  moral  culture  could  not 
be  ignored.  The  recommendation  of  the  General  Con- 
ference  of  1820  was  renewed,  that  each  annual  con- 
ference make  an  earnest  effort  to  establish  and  main- 
tain a  seminary  of  learning  within  its  bounds.  It 
was  also  recommended  that  each  preacher  should 
obtain  the  names  of  the  children  connected  with  his 
charge,  and  organize  them  into  classes  for  religious 
instruction.  It  is  much  to  be  regretted  that  this  wise 
provision  for  the  moral  training  of  the  children  has 
not  been  more  fully  carried  out. 

The  Missionary  Society,  now  the  glory  of  the 
Church,  was  then  in  its  infancy  ;  but  it  received  its 
due  share  of  attention.  Preliminary  steps  were  taken 
to  establish  a  mission  in  Liberia. 

Nathan  Bangs  and  John  Emory  were  elected 
Agents  of  the  Book  Concern,  and  authorized  to  com- 
mence the  publication  of  a  weekly  paper.  The 
Christian  Advocate  and  yournal  was  accordingly 
started,  in    1826. 

The  most  exciting  discussion  of  the  session  was 
on    the  subject  of  "  Lay  Delegation."      Numerously 


PRESIDING-ELDER   QUESTION.  8 1 

signed  petitions,  from  various  parts  of  the  work,  asked 
that  the  laity  might  be  admitted  to  the  legislative 
department  of  the  Church.  The  Conference,  how- 
ever, after  a  full  hearing  and  discussion  of  the 
question,  declined  to  accede  to  the  prayer  of  the 
memorialists. 

The  question  of  slavery  also  found  its  way  into 
this  Conference;  and,  after  a  somewhat  protracted 
and  heated  debate,  the  "  Tenth  Section  "  was 
adopted,  and  incorporated  into  the  Discipline. 

Another  very  exciting  discussion  took  place  at 
this  session  on  "  the  presiding-elder  question."  As 
early  as  1808,  the  question  of  making  this  office 
elective  was  brought  before  the  General  Conference, 
thoroughly  and  ably  discussed,  and  decided  in  the 
negative,  by  a  vote  of  fifty-two  in  favor,  to  seventy- 
three  against  it.  In  18 12,  the  subject  was  again 
introduced,  and  the  proposed  change  again  de- 
feated— forty-two  voting  for,  and  forty-five  against  it. 
In  18 16,  the  question  came  up  again.  Speeches  re- 
markable for  ability  were  made  on  both  sides  of  the 
question  ;  but  the  proposed  change  was  again  lost — ■ 
the  majority  against  it  being  twenty-five.  At  the 
General  Conference  of  1820,  the  measure  was  again 
proposed,  and  again  defeated  ;  but  such  was  the 
excitement  occasioned  by  its  defeat  at  that  session, 
that  a  Committee  of  Six — three  in  favor  and  three 
against  it — was  appointed  to  confer  with  the  bishops, 
and  to  report  "  whether  any,  and,  if  any,  what  altera- 
tions might  be  made  to  conciliate  the  wishes  of  the 
brethren  upon  the  subject."  This  Committee,  after 
consultation  with    the  bishops,   unanimously   recom- 


82  LIFE   OF  BISHOP   MORRIS. 

mended  the  adoption  of  the  following  provisions, 
to  be  inserted  in  their  proper  place  in  the  Dis- 
cipline : 

I.  "  That  whenever,  in  any  annual  conference, 
there  shall  be  a  vacancy  or  vacancies  in  the  office  of 
presiding  elder,  in  consequence  of  his  period  of  four 
years  having  expired,  or  the  bishop  wishing  to  remove 
any  presiding  elder,  or  by  death,  resignation  or  other- 
wise, the  bishop  or  president  of  the  conference, 
having  ascertained  the  number  wanted  from  any  of 
these  causes,  shall  nominate  three  times  the  number, 
out  of  which  the  conference  shall  elect,  by-  ballot, 
without  debate,  the  number  wanted  ;  provided,  when 
there  is  more  than  one  wanted,  not  more  than  three 
at  a  time  shall  be  nominated,  nor  more  than  one  at  a 
time  elected.  Provided,  also,  that  in  case  of  any 
vacancy  or  vacancies  in  the  office  of  presiding  elder, 
in  the  interval  of  any  annual  conference,  the  bishop 
shall  have  authority  to  fill  the  said  vacancy  or  vacan- 
cies until  the  ensuing  annual  conference.  2.  That 
the  presiding  elders  be,  and  are  hereby,  made  the 
Advisory  Council  of  the  bishop  or  president  of  the 
conference  in  stationing  the  preachers." 

This  report  was  adopted  on  the  20th  of  May, 
receiving  the  decisive  vote  of  sixty-one  to  twenty-five. 

In  the  mean  time,  while  both  the  advocates  and 
opponents  of  the  measure  were  congratulating  them- 
selves that  a  vexed  question  was  settled  amicably,  a 
new  and  unexpected  difficulty  arose.  The  Rev. 
Joshua  Soule,  who  had  been  elected  to  the  episcopal 
office  on  the  13th,  declined  consecration  in  conse- 
quence of  the  adoption  of  this  paper.       He  stated  to 


RULE  SUSPENDED.  83 

the  Conference  that,  in  his  judgment,  it  was  unconsti- 
tutional, and  that  he  could  not,  consistently  with  his 
views,  be  bound  by  it.  To  add  to  the  embarrassment 
of  the  Conference,  Bishop  M'Kendree,  who  had 
been  too  ill  to  participate  in  the  deliberations  of  the 
Committee  of  six  with  his  colleagues,  three  days 
after  the  passage  of  the  resolutions  came  to  the 
Conference  room,  and  entered  his  objections  against 
them  as  "unconstitutional,  and,  as  he  apprehended, 
subversive  of  the  grand  system  of  an  efficient 
general  superintendency  and  itinerancy." 

It  was  finally  proposed  to  suspend  the  operation 
of  these  new  rules  for  four  years,  and  that  in  the 
mean  time  the  government  of  the  Church  should  be 
administered  as  formerly.  This  compromise  was 
adopted,  and  so  the  matter  rested  until  1824.  The 
opponents  of  an  elective  presiding-eldership  were 
not  sufficiently  confident  of  their  strength  at  this 
Conference  to  attempt  the  repeal  of  the  measures 
adopted  four  years  previously,  and  they  accordingly 
moved  a  continuance  of  the  suspension  for  four  years 
longer.  After  a  protracted  and  earnest  discussion, 
this  motion  prevailed.  At  this  session  Rev.  Joshua 
Soule,  who  had  declined  the  office  in  1820  on  the 
grounds  already  stated,  was  again  elected  bishop. 
Rev.  Elijah  Hedding  was  also  elected  bishop  at  this 
session. 

At  the  close  of  the  General  Conference,  Mr. 
Morris  returned  home,  leaving  Baltimore  about  the 
1st  of  June,  and  making  the  trip  in  twenty  travel- 
ing days,  averaging  forty  miles  a  day.  Soon  after 
reaching  home  he  had  an  attack  of  flux,   which    con- 


84  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

fined  him  to  his  bed  for  three  weeks.  So  violent  was 
the  attack  that  his  recovery  was  at  one  time  consid- 
ered highly  improbable;  but,  by  the  blessing  of  God, 
he  slowly  recovered,  after  much  and  severe  suffering. 

His  station  that  year  proved  to  be  rather  a  barren 
field  to  cultivate.  He  labored  hard,  but  saw  little 
fruit.  The  membership  of  the  station  were,  many  of 
them,  very  excellent  people  ;  but  they  were  mostly 
poor,  and  however  willing  they  might  have  been, 
were  unable  to  support  a  pastor.  Mr.  Morris's  salary 
on  Hopkinsville  Station  was  sixty-five  dollars,  on 
which  he  was  expected  to  support  himself,  a  wife,  and 
two  children.  During  the  year  he  made  about  forty 
trips  to  and  from  the  station,  which  was  twenty  miles 
from  his  home — making  his  traveling  for  the  year, 
including  the  journey  to  Baltimore  and  return,  about 
three  thousand  two  hundred  miles. 

In  1824,  the  Kentucky  Conference  met  at  Shelby- 
ville.  Mr.  Morris,  with  Thompson  Holliman  as  his 
colleague,  was  appointed  to  Red-river  Circuit,  in 
Middle  Tennessee.  The  circuit  began  at  Clarksville, 
the  junction  of  Red  and  Cumberland  Rivers,  ex- 
tended to  Neely's  Bend,  ten  miles  above  Nashville, 
on  the  north  side  of  the  Cumberland,  and  curved 
round  through  Robinson  County.  The  number  of 
regular  appointments  was  twenty-one,  and  the  nearest 
one  to  his  place  of  residence  was  twenty  miles  .dis- 
tant. These  appointments  must  all  be  filled  every 
four  weeks,  leaving  four  days  each  month  to  be  spent 
at  home.  He  found  the  people  on  the  circuit  kind 
and  pleasant,  and  enjoyed  with  them  some  blessed 
seasons   of  revival.     The  total    receipts   for   support 


APPOINTED  PRESIDING   ELDER.  85 

that  year,  in  money  and  clothing,  footed  up  one 
hundred  and  eighty  dollars.  We  shall  not  wonder 
to  know  that  he  was  now  sorely  tempted  to  leave  the 
work,  and  seek  some  employment  by  which  to  sup- 
port his  family.  To  be  obliged  every  year  to  draw 
on  his  own  slender  resources  to  eke  out  a  bare 
support,  with  no  prospect  of  being  able  to  provide 
against  the  wants  of  old  age,  must  have  been  exceed- 
ingly depressing.  After  a  long  and  severe  mental 
conflict,  the  cloud  was  dispelled  from  his  mind,  light 
broke  in  upon  his  soul,  joy  returned,  and  he  had,  dur- 
ing the  closing  months  of  the  year,  unusual  liberty 
and  power  in  preaching. 

In  1825,  the  Conference  met  at  Russellville, 
fifteen  miles  from  his  place  of  residence  ;  but,  though 
present  at  the  seat  of  Conference,  he  was  too 
sick  most  of  the  time  to  be  in  attendance  upon  the 
daily  sessions.  One  day,  while  passing  out  of  the 
Conference-room,  his  presiding  elder,  Rev.  C.  Hoili- 
day,  whose  term  of  four  years  had  expired,  whispered 
to  him,  "Arise,  go  down  to  Nineveh  and  preach;" 
but  he  did  not  say  where  Nineveh  was.  This  in- 
formation, however,  was  imparted  by  Bishop  Roberts 
at  the  close  of  the  Conference,  in  reading  the  ap- 
pointments, which  embraced  the  following:  Green- 
river  District — Thomas  A.  Morris,  Presiding 
Elder.  Hartford— George  M'Nelly,  N.  M.  Talbott  ; 
Greenville — Luke  P.  Allen,  John  Denton  ;  Hender- 
son— George  W.  Robbins,  Wm.  Crane  ;  Livingston — 
George  Richardson,  Alex.  H.  Stemmons  ;  Christian — 
Wm.  Peter,  Benj.  Ogden  ;  Hopkinsville — Rich'd  Cor- 
wine  ;  Clark's  River — John  S.  Barger,  James  Greenup. 


86  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

This  district  was  about  one  thousand  miles  round, 
including  the  journeys  necessary  to  be  made  between 
quarterly-meetings  in  order  to  visit  his  family.  His 
first  quarterly-meeting  was  one  hundred  and  twenty 
miles  from  home,  though  he  resided  within  the 
bounds  of  the  district.  Some  idea  of  the  extent  of 
this  field  of  labor  may  be  formed  from  the  statement 
that  one  of  the  circuits — Clark's  River — embraced 
that  part  of  Kentucky  west  of  the  Tennessee  River. 
The  reader  will  gain  the  most  vivid  impression  of  the 
toils  and  heroic  sacrifices  of  the  early  Methodist 
preachers  in  this  wild  region  from  Mr.  Morris's  own 
account  of  some  incidents  connected  with  his  first 
district.     We  quote  from  his  "Miscellany,"  page  241  : 

"We  were  not  the  first  on  that  ground  after  the 
Indians  left.  Brothers  Crouch  and  Parker  had  been 
there  forming  a  circuit  the  year  previous  ;  and  if  they 
would  speak  out,  they  could  relate  scenes  of  suffering 
sufficient  to  cause  the  ears  of  the  reader  to  tingle. 
Still,  when  we  went,  the  settlements  were  'few  and 
far  between,'  and  frequently  without  any  road,  or 
even  path,  from  one  to  another.  When  we  wished  to 
visit  a  neighborhood  fifteen  or  twenty  miles  distant, 
we  ascertained,  as  near  as  we  could,  the  general 
course,  and  struck  off  through  the  woods,  without 
road  or  guide.  If  the  sun  was  visible  we  steered  by 
him,  and  if  not,  by  a  pocket  compass.  If  a  creek  .too 
deep  to  ford  obstructed  our  course,  we  had  our  choice 
to  swim  or  stay  on  our  own  side,  having  neither  boat, 
bridge,  nor  canoe.  Of  the  manner  of  overcoming 
these  obstructions  I  will  here  furnish  an  example 
or  two. 


INCIDENTS  OF  FORDING.  87 

"At  the  close  of  .a  camp  quarterly-meeting  in 
Clark's-river  Circuit,  July,  1826,  the  small  streams 
were  much  swollen,  by  reason  of  heavy  rains.  Soon 
after  leaving  the  camp,  we  had  to  encounter  a  small 
stream,  which  was  usually  some  three  rods  wide,  but 
at  that  time  spread  over  the  banks  and  much  of  the 
adjoining  low  ground.  However,  we  were  told  that 
by  going  to  the  Shallow  Ford,  above  the  forks,  we 
could  probably  ride  across  without  losing  bottom  ; 
but  where  we  expected  a  shallow  ford  we  found  a 
sheet  of  water  about  a  hundred  yards  wide,  it  having 
overflowed  its  banks,  with  a  rapid  current  in  the 
middle. 

"  Our  company  consisted  of  George  Richardson, 
John  S.  Barge r,  A.  H.  Stemmons,  another  young 
preacher  whose  name  I  have  forgotten,  and  the 
writer.  We  were  all  sound  except  myself.  I  was 
sick — had  beeu  so  for  five  or  six  days  ;  and  was  much 
more  fit  to  be  in  bed  than  on  horseback.  In  conse- 
quence of  this  circumstance,  the  company  objected  to 
my  swimming,  lest  the  wetting,  after  taking  medicine, 
might  prove  injurious.  But  by  riding  in  midsides  to 
the  horse,  I  gained  the  large  end  of  a  great  tree 
which  had  been  cut  down  so  as  to  fall  across  the 
main  channel,  just  above  the  ford,  for  a  temporary  foot- 
bridge. Here  they  deposited  me  and  the  baggage  till 
they  should  swim  the  horses  over.  In  the  mean  time 
others  came  up  from  the  meeting,  forming  a  company 
of  some  fifteen  in  all.  The.  coming-out  place  lay 
rather  up-stream  from  us  ;  and  just  below  it,  we  were 
told,  the  bank,  then  under  water,  was  too  steep  for 
the  horses  to   rise   when  they    should  strike  bottom. 


88  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

To  avoid  this,  and  procure  a  sloping  bank  to  rise  on, 
they  selected  a  place  below,  where  the  bluff  changed 
sides.  So  that,  after  riding  in  till  the  horse  was 
nearly  covered,  and  arriving  at  the  main  channel,  he 
suddenly  and  unexpectedly  to  himself,  though  not  to 
his  rider,  stepped  over  a  precipice,  perhaps  ten  feet 
high,  into  a  sweeping  current,  where  horse  and  rider 
were  violently  immersed,  but  soon  emerged  some 
distance  from  where  they  first  disappeared,  and  pres- 
ently made  safe  landing.  In  this  way  the  young 
brethren  conveyed  their  own  horses  over  ;  after  which, 
Richardson  and  Stemmons  rode  for  the  whole  com- 
pany, securing  one  horse  and  swimming  back  for 
another,  making  several  trips  each.  This  clone, 
Richardson  led  me  over  the  channel  on  the  log,  and, 
leaving  still  between  us  and  the  dry  ground  a  sheet 
of  water  some  thirty  yards  wide  and  three  feet  deep, 
he  deliberately  stepped  in,  took  me  upon  his  shoulder, 
and,  notwithstanding  much  brush  and  driftwood  were 
on  the  way,  placed  me  safely  on  solid  ground.  The 
whole  was  accomplished  in  a  few  minutes.  Here  we 
parted  with  all  but  our  own  company  with  whom  we 
first  started  from  camp ;  and  leaving  the  Sliallow 
Ford,  our  way  was  clear  before  us  to  the  next  branch 
of  the  same  stream,  only  a  few  miles  distant. 

"  Our  second  crossing,  was  like  to  prove  more 
difficult  than  the  first,  having  an  equally  rapid 
stream  without  the  advantage  of  any  log.  Having 
appointments  ahead,  it  was  important  to  get  on 
somehow  or  other  ;  and,  after  a  short  consultation,  it 
was  thought  best,  on  account  of  my  condition,  to 
head  the  stream,  or  at  least  go  far  enough  up  to  ford. 


CROSSING   A   STREAM.  89 

This  being  agreed  on,  we  made  the  attempt,  but  were 
so  much  embarrassed  by  quicksand,  especially  where 
the  ground  had  been  overflowed,  that  we  soon  became 
weary  of  it,  and  determined  to  cross,  if  possible. 
Finding  a  place  where  the  banks  were  dry  on  both 
sides,  the  water  there  being  confined  within  its  usual 
channel,  we  dismounted,  and  were  consulting  about 
the  mode  of  crossing,  when  Stemmons  concluded  it 
was  time  to  execute  as  well  as  plan.  Fixing  his 
large,  laughing,  blue  eyes,  on  a  tall,  slim  hickory, 
growing  on  our  side  of  the  creek,  he  deliberately 
began  to  ascend,  which  he  did  almost  as  easily  and 
rapidly  as  a  wild  bear  would  climb  a  chestnut-tree 
in  search  of  nuts.  When  he  had  left  the  ground 
about  forty  feet  below  him,  and  arrived  where  the 
sapling  had  scarce  strength  to  support  him,  he 
turned  on  the  side  next  to  the  stream,  held  on  with 
his  hands,  letting  his  feet  swing  clear,  and  his  weight 
brought  the  top  down  on  the  other  side,  and,  with 
the  assistance  of  another,  who  swam  over  to  his 
relief,  tied  the  limbs  fast  to  the  root  of  a  tree.  This 
bent  sapling  formed  an  arched  bridge  about  forty 
feet  long,  six  inches  wide,  and  elevated  in  the  center 
about  twelve  or  fifteen  feet,  over  the  deepest  of  the 
turbid  stream,  on  which  we  crossed — astride — safely, 
pushing  our  baggage  before  us  ;  and  then  we  resumed 
our  journey,  leaving  the  hickory  bridge  for  the 
accommodation  of  the  public." 

His  first  quarterly-meeting  on  the  district  was 
held  in  a  log-cabin  on  Bayou  Desha,  a  creek  of  the 
Mississippi.  Here  the  Church  was  favored  with 
a    glorious    work    of    grace.      On    Sabbath    evening, 


90  LIFE    OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

particularly,  the  Word  was  quick  and  powerful,  sinners 
were  awakened,  and  the  people  of  God  rejoiced  over 
returning  prodigals.  When  the  congregation  was 
finally  dismissed,  many  lingered,  unwilling  to  leave 
the  hallowed  spot  where  they  had  found  the  pearl  of 
great  price.  Among  others  were  four  young  ladies, 
who  had  that  evening  been  converted.  They  were 
neighbors'  children  and  associates  ;  three  of  them 
were  grown,  the  other  being  about  thirteen  years  of 
age.  When  about  to  separate  for  the  night  and  return 
home,  they  flew  into  each  others'  arms,  weeping  and 
rejoicing.  "  I  will  praise  the  Lord  while  I  live,"  said 
one.  "  I  will  praise  him  when  I  die,"  responded  the 
second.  "And  I  will  praise  him  after  death  in 
glory !"  exclaimed  the  third.  "  My  soul  is  full  of 
love,"  added  the  youngest.  And  with  similar  expres- 
sions of  child-like  faith  and  glowing  zeal,  did  many 
others  that  night  testify  that  Christ  Jesus  had  power 
on  earth   to  save. 

In  July,  1826,  an  important  change  occurred  in 
Mr.  Morris's  health.  On  his  way  to  the  camp-meet- 
ing already  referred  to,  in  Clark's-river  Circuit,  he  had 
turned  aside  a  little  from  his  own  district  to  fill  an 
extra  appointment  at  Dover,  Tennessee,  on  the  west 
side  of  the  Cumberland  River.  For  some  days  there 
had  appeared  an  eruption  on  his  skin,  in  the  form  of 
watery  pimples,  to  which  he  had  paid  little  attention, 
not  apprehending  any  serious  result  from  so  slight  a 
cause.  The  meeting  at  Dover  was  held  in  the  court- 
house. It  was  on  Thursday,  and  but  few  attended. 
The  first  hymn  and  prayer  were  ended,  and  the  con- 
gregation  were    singing  the  second  hymn,  when  his 


ATTACK  OF  PARALYSIS.  9 1 

left-hand  began  to  shake,  and  he  took  the  hymn-book 
in  the  other.  Soon  every  thing  about  him  became 
dark,  and  supernatural  in  appearance,  and  he  felt  like 
falling  over,  while  his  left  hand  sank  down  on  the 
railing.  When  the  hymn  was  ended,  the  shock  was 
passing  away,  so  that  both  vision  and  consciousness  re- 
turned ;  but  a  question  now  arose  in  his  mind  whether 
he  should  tell  the  strange  congregation  his  condition, 
and  ask  to  be  .excused,  or  try  to  proceed,  saying 
nothing  about  it.  After  a  short,  and  perhaps  to  them 
mysterious,  pause,  he  determined  to  preach,  and  did 
so,  as  may  be  supposed,  in  a  very  solemn  frame  of 
mind,  not  knowing  that  he  would  ever  be  permitted 
to  preach  again.  At  the  close  of  the  service  he  dis- 
covered that  his  left-hand  was  very  cold,  the  left-foot 
scarcely  less  so,  and  his  left-eye  strangely  affected. 
That  afternoon,  so  bent  was  he  on  meeting  his  en- 
gagements, he  set  off,  alone  and  on  horseback,  to 
travel  a  distance  of  eighteen  miles,  over  an  entirely 
new  route  to  him,  and  one  very  difficult  to  find.  But, 
as  he  wrote  in  his  little  pocket-diary,  he  felt  that  he 
was  on  the  Lord's  business,  and  that  he  was  in  the 
Lord's  hands,  and  would  be  as  safe  in  the  wilderness 
as  at  home. 

As  the  day  wore  away,  a  fever  came  on  ;  so  that 
he  could  scarcely  remain  in  the  saddle.  At  a  late 
hour  in  the  evening  he  reached  a  humble  cabin,  seven 
miles  west  of  the  Tennessee  River,  occupied  by  a 
widow  lady  and  a  large  family  of  children,  where  he 
was  kindly  allowed  to  pass  the  night.  So  much  ex- 
hausted had  he  now  become,  however,  by  the  long  ride 
in  a  July  sun,  and  in  a  very  feeble  bodily  condition, 


92  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

that  he  could  scarcely  dismount  and  get  into  the  cabin. 
Next  morning  the  good  woman  of  the  house  sent 
three  miles  for  a  schoolmaster  to  come  and  bleed 
him.  The  amateur  phlebotomist  relieved  his  veins  of 
a  quart  of  something  resembling  tar  more  than 
healthy  blond.  That  day  he  rode  twenty-five  miles, 
reached  the  camp-ground  at  two  o'clock,  and  preached 
at  three.  He  also  preached  on  Saturday,  Sunday, 
and  Monday,  although  hardly  strong  enough  to  walk 
unaided.  His  Monday  morning  service  was  particu- 
larly exhausting,  as  he  had  agreed,  some  weeks  pre- 
vious, to  preach  at  that  hour  on  the  subject  of 
Baptism,  with  special  reference  to  the  mode.  His 
sermon  .on  that  subject  occupied  an  hour  and  a  half 
in  its  delivery,  and  was  long  remembered  in  that  re- 
gion as  a  powerful  and  convincing  argument.  But  on 
Monday  evening,  after  this  unusual  and  perhaps  im- 
prudent exertion,  he  suffered  a  second  shock  of  pa- 
ralysis, very  similar  to  the  first.  It  was  fully  a  week 
from  the  time  of  the  first  attack  before  any  physician 
could  be  seen  or  medical  advice  obtained.  A  man 
of  less  courage  and  zeal  would  now  have  desisted 
from  active  service  long  enough  to  repair  the  shat- 
tered physical  system  ;  but  Mr.  Morris  pushed  on, 
holding  his  quarterly-meetings  regularly,  and  dis- 
charging all  the  duties  of  his  office.  For  six  weeks 
he  was  not  able  to  hold  the  bridle  with  his  left  hand. 
While  in  this  enfeebled  bodily  condition,  he  was 
preaching  to  an  immense  congregation,  at  a  camp- 
meeting  held  on  Henderson  Circuit,  some  time  in 
August.  Suddenly  he  became  blind  and  deaf,  and 
all  mental  action  seemed,  for  the  moment  suspended. 


sickness.  93 

After  a  short  pause  he  recovered,  and  finished  his 
sermon.  He  felt  that  day  that  he  was  probably 
preaching  his  last  sermon  ;  that  his  body  would  be 
carried  out  lifeless,  and  his  soul  ascend  from  that 
pulpit  to  paradise.  But  God  had  other  purposes  con-, 
cerning  his  servant,  and  more  work  for  him  to  do. 
As  soon  as  the  sermon  closed,  he  took  to  bed,  and 
was  confined  to  it  for  three  days,  when,  by  the  bless- 
ing of  God,  he  was  permitted  to  resume  his  labors. 
Within  three  years  of  the  first  attack  of  paralysis,  he 
had,  as  he  estimated,  not  less  than  two  hundred  ;  but 
they  gradually  became  lighter  and  lighter,  after  the 
first  few  weeks,  until  they  subsided  wholly.  His 
memory  was  seriously  impaired  for  a  time,  but  recov- 
ered with  improved  general  health.  One  of  the  most 
serious  embarrassments  resulting  from  this  affliction 
was  the  interruption  of  his  studies.  He  had  been 
engaged  for  a  considerable  time  in  the  study  of  the 
Greek  language,  in  which  he  was  making  satisfactory 
progress  ;  but  now  his  physician  positively  inter- 
dicted all  study  beyond  reasonable  preparation  for 
preaching. 


94  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 


CHAPTER   IV. 

STATIONED      AT      LOUISVILLE — GENERAL       CONFERENCE      OF 
1828 RETURN      TO      OHIO CINCINNATI      METH- 
ODISM  CHOLERA. 

TOWARD  the  close  of  the  second  year  on  the 
district,  Mr.  Morris's  family  suffered  much  from 
sickness.  His  wife  and  daughter,  especially,  had  a 
protracted  and  severe  attack  of  fever.  No  help  could 
be  hired  in  the  neighborhood  to  take  care  of  them  or 
superintend  the  affairs  of  the  household.  Mr.  Morris 
sought  diligently  for  a  week,  far  and  near,  but  beyond 
the  volunteer  aid  of  a  neighbor,  occasionally,  could 
obtain  no  assistance  whatever.  His  brother  Edmund, 
who  had  preceded  him  there,  and  his  brother  Levi, 
who  had  removed  to  the  same  neighborhood  subse- 
quently, had  both  moved  to  Louisiana  and  left  him 
among  strangers.  Besides  all  these  things,  which 
seemed  to  be  against  him,  the  property  he  owned  when 
he  entered  the  traveling  connection,  together  with  that 
which  he  had  afterward  received  from  his  father's 
estate,  had,  during  his  six-years'  campaign  in  Ken- 
tucky, been  nearly  all  spent,  necessarily,  for  the 
support  of  his  family. 

Under  these  circumstances,  he  came  to  the  con- 
clusion that  it  was  his  duty  to  seek  a  change  of  work, 
or    rather    a    field   of   labor   in   which    a    reasonable 


ARRANGING    TO   REMOVE.  95 

support  for  his  family  could  be  obtained.  The  decision 
to  leave  Kentucky  was  not  reached  without  a  severe 
mental  struggle.  "Mount  Olivet" — the  name  he  had 
given  to  his  cottage  near  Elkton — was  now  endeared 
to  ail  the  family,  having  been  for  six  years  a  pleasant 
home.  They  had  formed  strong  attachments  to  the 
open-handed  and  warm-hearted  people  of  Kentucky 
generally,  and  especially  regretted  to  leave  their 
many  kind  and  pleasant  neighbors.  When  they  first 
settled  at  Elkton,  Methodism  had  no  hold  there — 
neither  class,  preaching,  nor  house  of  worship.  Mr. 
Morris  opened  his  own  house  for  preaching,  and  soon 
a  small  class  was  formed  ;  then  a  chapel  was  erected, 
toward  which  he  contributed  one  hundred  dollars, 
when  his  entire  salary  hardly  equaled  that  amount. 
He  had  seen  a  good  society  grow  up  rapidly,  and 
many  of  these  were  his  own  children  in  the  Gospel, 
whom  he  loved  with  no  ordinary  affection. 

Still,  after  prayerful  deliberation,  he  felt  satisfied 
that  duty  required  him  to  make  the  contemplated 
change  ;  and  accordingly  he  disposed  of  his  personal 
effects,  except  movable  articles,  and  also  sold  the 
little  farm  he  owned  in  the  neighborhood  ;  paid  off 
all  his  debts  ;  rented  "  Mount  Olivet,"  and  set  off  with 
his  wife  and  children  for  Conference,  which  was  held 
that  year  at  Versailles.  Expecting  to  be  transferred 
to  Ohio,  his  heavy  boxes  had  been  marked  for  ship- 
ment down  the  Cumberland  and  up  the  Ohio  River. 
He  and  his  wife  and  daughter  rode  in  a  light,  covered 
Dearborn  wagon,  very  comfortably  ;  while  his  son,  a  lad 
ten  years  old,  was  mounted  on  a  very  small,  gentle  pony. 

Mr.  Morris  had  now  been   in   the  ministry  twelve 


g6  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

years,  including  the  one  in  which  he  was  employed 
by  the  presiding  elder.  During  that  time  he  had 
traveled  over  thirty-three  thousand  miles,  averag- 
ing two  thousand  seven  hundred  and  fifty  miles  a  year  ; 
and  not  one  mile  of  it  on  railroad,  steamer,  or  stage- 
coach, and  very  little  of  it  on  wheels  of  any  sort. 
He  had  preached  more  than  three  thousand  times — 
about  two  hundred  and  fifty  sermons  annually — be- 
sides delivering  numerous  occasional  addresses.  His 
aggregate  salary  for  that  period  of  twelve  years, 
including  marriage-fees  and  private  donations,  was 
about  two  thousand  dollars,  or  one  hundred  and  sixty- 
six  dollars  per  annum  !  No  marvel  that  his  private 
resources  were  nearly  exhausted,  and  that  the  pros- 
pect ahead,  with  a  sickly  family  and  his  own  health 
precarious,  appeared  somewhat  discouraging. 

During  the  two  years  of  his  presiding-eldership 
in  Kentucky,  he  had  broken  down  two  horses,  trav- 
eled eight  thousand  miles,  preached  about  five 
hundred  times,  and  received  in  all,  for  his  services, 
less  than  the  cost  of  the  two  horses.  When  Mr. 
Morris  started  to  the  Conference  at  Versailles,  he 
fully  expected,  as  we  have  already  stated,  to  be  trans- 
ferred to  the  Ohio  Conference  that  Fall.  He  had  re- 
ceived a  cordial  invitation  from  leading  brethren  of 
Ohio  to  return  to  that  State,  and  had  sent  a  written 
application  to  the  bishop  for  a  transfer.  He  was 
surprised,  however,  on  meeting  Bishops  Roberts  and 
Soule  to  learn  from  them  that  his  letter,  directed  to 
the  seat  of  the  Ohio  Conference,  had  miscarried,  and 
that  consequently  no  place  had  been  left  open  for 
him  in  the  Ohio  Conference.     They  assured  him,  at 


STATIONED  AT  LOUISVILLE.  97 

the  same  time,  that  while  it  was  impossible  to  make 
the  desired  change  that  year,  it  could  easily  be  ar- 
ranged a  year  later,  and  that,  in  the  mean  time,  he 
would  be  obliged  to  receive  another  appointment  in 
Kentucky. 

This  was  a  great  disappointment.  "  Mount  Olivet" 
was  disposed  of,  his  goods  were  en  route  for  Ohio, 
and  all  his  plans  had  been  arranged  in  view  of  a 
removal  to  that  State.  Time  proved,  however,  that  a 
good  providence  was  ordering  all  for  the  best ;  and  he 
never  regretted  the  unexpected  change  in  his  plans, 
after  the  first  disappointment  was  over.  That  year 
he  was  again  elected  a  delegate  to  the  General  Con- 
ference, although  his  brethren  knew  of  his  intention 
to  leave  them  as  soon  as  an  opportunity  offered.  His 
appointment  was  this  year  Louisville,  the  leading 
charge  in  the  Conference  ;  a  station,  then,  of  two 
hundred  and  twenty  white,  and  one  hundred  and 
seventy  colored  members,  with  two  separate  chapels. 
His  reception  by  the  brethren  of  this  city  was  so 
cordial  that  he  soon  felt  at  home  among  them,  and 
entered  upon  his  work  with  zeal,  preaching  and  visit- 
ing from  house  to  house.  He  made  out  an  alphabet- 
ical list  of  the  names,  street,  and  number,  of  all 
the  members  of  the  station,  and  visited  every  family 
once  a  quarter.  As  a  result  of  faithful  labors  in 
the  pulpit  and  among  the  people,  the  Church  pros- 
pered ;  about  seventy  were  added  to  the  membership 
of  the  white  congregation,  which  showed  a  net  in- 
crease of  fifty  that  year,  after  deducting  deaths, 
removals,  etc.  The  colored  congregation  also  pros- 
pered.    It  was  found  neccessary  to  enforce  discipline 

9 


98  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS, 

among  this  portion  of  his  charge  more  rigidly  than 
had  been  the  practice  of  his  predecessor ;  but,  al- 
though a  large  number  was  excluded,  others  were 
gathered  in,  more  than  enough  to  make  up  the  loss. 

While  stationed  in  Louisville,  Mr.  Morris  had  an 
engagement  to  attend  a  quarterly-meeting  at  Frank- 
fort, distant  some  fifty  miles.  He  set  off  one  day, 
early  in  the  Spring,  to  meet  this  appointment.  It 
had  been  an  open,  rainy  Winter  ;  the  mud  was  deep, 
and  traveling  on  horseback  very  tedious.  On  his  way 
up,  having  been  kindly  entertained  by  a  family  named 
Williams,  at  a  place  called  Middletown,  he  accepted 
from  them  an  invitation  to  leave  a  night  appointment 
to  preach  there  on  his  return  trip,  the  next  week. 
In  due  time,  he  called  at  the  residence  of  his  hospita- 
ble friends  in  Middletown,  on  his  way  home,  and 
learned  that  the  meeting  was  appointed  to  be  held 
at  "  the  old  Faro-bank  room,"  the  usual  place  for 
preaching — there  being  no  chapel  in  the  village. 

"  But,"  added  brother  Williams,  "  there  is  no  cer- 
tainty of  its  being  there  ;  for  we  have  a  very  singular 
brother  here  named  Wallace,  who  assumes  to  man- 
age every  thing  of  the  sort  in  his  own  way,  and  that 
is  generally  a  way  the  rest  of  us  do  not  approve  ;  and 
I  shall  not  be  surprised  to  find  that  he  has  changed 
the  place." 

After  tea  they  walked  up  to  the  faro-bank  room, 
and  found  all  dark. 

"Just  as  I  expected,"  said  Mr.  Williams;  "Wal- 
lace has  moved  the  meeting  ;  but,  as  there  is  only 
one  street  in  the  town,  we  can  easily  find  it." 

They  walked  on,  making  inquiry,  and  learned  that 


PREACHING   UNDER  DIFFICULTIES.  99 

the  place  was  changed  to  Mr.  Blackburn's  school- 
house.  This  school-house  had  been  a  private  dwell- 
ing, and  consisted  of  two  rooms  and  a  front  porch. 
They  found  the  back  room  full  of  women,  the  other 
full  of  men,  and  the  porch  full  of  boys.  The  position 
assigned  to  the  preacher  was  the  door  of  the  partition 
between  the  two  rooms,  where  he  could  alternately 
see  both  sections  of  his  strange  audience,  though  the 
few  tallow  candles  burned  but  dimly.  Just  by  the 
door  where  he  stood  was  the  teacher's  big  chair  ;  if 
placed  in  the  door,  it  would  have  filled  it,  so  that 
none  could  pass  or  repass.  But  as  that  was  the  only 
vacant  spot,  and  Mr.  Morris  wished  to  occupy  it  him- 
self, he  pushed  the  chair  to  one  side  in  the  back  room 
out  of  his  way.  The  service  commenced.  The 
preacher  was  fairly  launching  out  into  his  subject, 
when  a  man — afterward  ascertained  to  be  the  offi- 
cious Mr.  Wallace — pressed  through  the  crowd  and 
through  the  door,  pushing  the  preacher  aside,  and, 
laying  hold  of  the  big  chair,  made  an  attempt  to  force 
it  through  the  crowd  to  its  original  place. 

14  What  are  you  doing,  my  friend  ?"  inquired  Mr. 
Morris. 

"  I  am  getting  this  chair  round  to  place  before 
you  for  a  pulpit." 

"  Please  to  desist ;  I  do  not  need  it,  and  can  do 
better  without  than  with  it. ' 

After  waiting  until  the  brother  got  out  of  the 
way,  the  minister  proceeded  ;  but  he  had  hardly  got 
fairly  started  again,  when  his  attention  was  attracted 
to  two  men  seated  near  him,  engaged  in  con- 
versation   about   their    private  affairs,  in    tones    loud 


100  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

enough  to  be  heard  through  the  house.  Again  he 
desisted  from  preaching,  and  looked  steadily  at  the 
offenders,  till  all  eyes  were  turned  toward  them,  and 
they  at  length  became  conscious  that  they  were  the 
observed  of  all  observers. 

Perfect  stillness  being  restored,  Mr.  Morris  quietly 
remarked,  "  We  were  only  waiting  for  those  two 
gentlemen  to  finish  their  conversation,  as  that  and 
preaching  at  the  same  time  did  not  harmonize  well 
together." 

Again  the  sermon  was  resumed.  Soon  after,  how- 
ever, the  boys  on  the  porch  commenced  an  entertain- 
ment of  their  own,  of  so  noisy  a  character  that  the 
voice  within  could  scarcely  be  heard,  and  so  another 
pause  was  necessary.  Mr.  Wallace  made  a  rush  for 
the  porch,  where  he  made  more  disturbance  than  the 
boys  had  done  ;  but  at  last  the  outbreak  was  quelled, 
and  partial  quiet  again  secured.  For  the  third  time 
the  sermon  was  resumed.  A  few  minutes  only  had 
elapsed,  when  an  infant  in  the  back  room  became 
restless  and  noisy ;  and  though  the  amiable  mother 
resorted  to  all  means  usual  in  such  cases  to  quiet  the 
little  one,  she  failed,  and  was  considerate  enough  to 
leave  for  home.  But,  as  there  was  no  outlet  from 
the  back  room  except  through  the  door  where  the 
preacher  stood,  he  must  needs  stop  the  flow  of  his 
talk  again,  step  aside,  and  let  her  pass.  When  matters 
again  calmed  down,  he  resumed  for  the  fourth  time, 
but  whether  at  the  right  or  wrong  place  he  could  not 
possibly  determine. 

Shortly  after,  a  small  boy  in  the  back  room, 
who    was   perhaps  five  or  six  years    old,  produced  a 


A   SUDDEN  DISMISSAL.  10 1 

ludicrous  scene.  He  teased  and  worried  his  mother, 
who  used  her  best  endeavors  to  suppress  his  rising  dis- 
content, but  in  vain  ;  he  whimpered  on,  waxing  worse 
and  worse.  She  finally  shook  him  angrily,  demand- 
ing, "What  ails  you?"  when,  in  fretful  tones,  dis- 
tinctly heard  throughout  the  house,  he  exclaimed, 
"  Scratch  my  back  !" 

The  shock  was  sudden,  the  effect  irresistible  ; 
some  hung  their  heads,  but  the  majority  broke  into  a 
loud  laugh.  The  mortified  mother,  seizing  the  urchin, 
began  to  drag  him  toward  the  door,  the  preacher 
making  way  for  her  to  pass.  The  enraged  child  had 
no  notion,  however,  of  leaving  on  compulsion,  and  he 
pulled  back  with  all  the  strength  he  had  ;  but  his 
efforts  were  overcome,  and  he  was  dragged  through 
both  rooms  and  across  the  porch  to  the  street.  After 
order  was  again  restored,  Mr.  Morris  attempted  to 
resume  for  the  fifth  time,  but  could  not  recall  the 
point  at  which  he  had  stopped.  He  then  aimed  to 
reach  the  point  by  rapidly  reviewing  the  general  drift 
of  the  subject,  but  could  not  strike  the  trail.  Finally, 
in  despair  he  concluded  to  go  back  to  the  text,  but 
could  not  even  recall  that !  He  could  remember 
neither  text  nor  subject. 

After  a  long  pause,  he  remarked :  "  My  strange 
friends,  I  make  no  great  pretensions  as  a  preacher, 
even  under  the  most  favorable  circumstances  ;  and 
under  such  as  now  surround  me,  it  is  utterly  imprac- 
ticable for  me  to  preach  at  all.  Please  excuse  me, 
and  receive  the  benediction." 

Mr.  Morris's  salary  in  Louisville  was  five  hundred 
and  forty-eight  dollars,  the  best  year's  support  he  had 


102  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

received  up  to  that  time.  A  short  time  after  his  ar- 
rival in  the  city,  he  went  to  a  forwarding  house  to 
see  if  any  thing  could  be  done  to  recover  his  boxes 
of  household  goods,  that  had  been  directed  to  Ohio. 
To  his  surprise  they  were  all  lying  in  the  warehouse 
at  which  he  called,  and  in  good  condition,  having,  on 
account  of  various  detentions,  only  just  reached  thnt 
point.  He  was  still  more  surprised  to  find  at  the 
same  place  a  box  of  books,  worth  ninety-five  dollars, 
which  had  been  charged  to  his  account  by  the  Book 
Concern  at  Cincinnati,  the  year  before,  and  sent  to 
his  address  at  Mill's  Point,  on  the  Mississippi,  but 
which  had  been  given  up  as  lost. 

In  the  Spring  of  1828  he  started  for  Pittsburg, 
to  attend  the  General  Conference,  and  was  accompa- 
nied by  his  family,  who  embraced  this  opportunity  to 
visit  their  relatives  in  West  Virginia.  It  was  the 
first  time  any  of  them  had  ever  been  on  a  steamboat, 
and  they  greatly  enjoyed  the  trip,  especially  as  the 
Marion — in  which  they  made  the  journey — was 
nearly  filled  with  Methodist  preachers. 

The  General  Conference  of  1828  convened,  as 
usual,  on  the  1st  of  May.  Bishops  M'Kendree, 
George,  Roberts,  Soule,  and  Hedding  were  present. 
There  were  one  hundred  and  seventy  delegates,  rep- 
resenting seventeen  annual  conferences.  So  great 
was  the  ratio  of  representation  that  Kentucky  had 
eleven  delegates,  to-wit:  Richard  Tydings,  Thomas 
A.  Morris,  Peter  Akers,  Benjamin  T.  Crouch,  George 
C.  Light,  Marcus  Lindsey,  William  Adams,  Henry 
M'Daniel,  Jonathan  Stamper,  George  W.  M'Nelly,  and 
John  Tevis. 


GENERALmCONFERENCE,  1828.  103 

The  most  exciting  question  before  this  General 
Conference  grew  out  of  what  was  called,  in  that  day, 
the  "  radical  controversy."  A  considerable  party  had 
been  organized  in  the  Church  with  a  view  to  secure 
lay  representation,  and  also  to  modify,  in  some  way, 
the  functions  of  the  Episcopacy.  These  so-called  re- 
formers had  two  organs,  the  Wesleyan  Repository  and 
the  Mutual  Rights ;  in  the  latter  of  which  appeared, 
some  time  in  1826,  what  purported  to  be  a  report 
of  an  address  made  by  Bishop  Hedding  before  the 
Pittsburg  Annual  Conference,  on  the  duty  of  its 
members  in  reference  to  the  discussion  of  Church 
reforms.  In  this  report,  sentiments  were  attributed 
to  Bishop  Hedding  which  he  disavowed,  as  injurious 
to  his  character.  Not  being  successful  in  his  en- 
deavor to  obtain  redress  at  the  hands  of  the  publish- 
ers of  Mutual  Rights,  he  brought  the  matter  before 
the  General  Conference,  and  requested  a  full  investi- 
gation. The  result  of  the  investigation  was  a 
complete  vindication  of  Bishop  Hedding. 

At  this  General  Conference  a  memorial  was  pre- 
sented, from  the  Canada  Conference,  on  the  subject 
of  establishing  an  independent  Church  in  Upper 
Canada,  asking  that  measures  be  taken  with  a  view 
to  such  an  organization.  The  matter  was  referred  to 
a  committee,  and  in  due  time  a  report  was  submitted 
and  adopted,  "  dissolving,  by  mutual  consent,  the 
compact  existing  between  the  Canada  annual  con- 
ferences and  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church."  The 
desire  for  such  separation,  on  the  part  of  the  brethren 
in  Canada,  did  not  grow  out  of  any  dissatisfaction 
with   the  conduct   of  their  brethren   in    the    United 


104  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

States  toward  them,  but  chiefly  from  the  opposition 
evinced  by  statesmen  in  Upper  Canada  to  their  being 
subject  to  the  control  of  a  foreign  ecclesiastical  head.* 

In  the  Fall  of  1828,  Mr.  Morris  received  official 
notice  that  he  was  transferred  to  the  Ohio  Conference, 
and  appointed  to  Lebanon  Circuit.  He  deemed  it 
proper,  however,  before  leaving  for  his  new  field  of 
labor,  to  attend  the  session  of  the  Kentucky  Con- 
ference at  Shelby ville,  both  to  make  his  final  report, 
and  to  visit  his  daughter,  who  was  a  student  in 
Science  Hill  Academy,  at  that  place.  In  severing 
his  official  connection  with  the  brethren  of  the  Ken- 
tucky Conference,  with  whom  he  had  labored  seven 
years  in  harmony,  he  now  felt  sincere  regret.  He 
said,  on  leaving  them,  that  he  did  not  know  a  body 
of  purer  men,  of  more  faithful  Methodist  preachers, 
or  more  magnanimous  spirits,  than  they  were  ;  that, 
so  far  as  the  ties  of  brotherhood  and  the  pleasures  of 
social  intercourse  were  concerned,  it  was  in  his  heart 
to  live  and  die  with  them  ;  but  that  considerations  of 
private  and  family  interest,  or,  in  other  words,  duty 
to  his  family,  indicated  that  the  time  for  him  to  re- 
turn to  Ohio  had  fully  come.  And  so,  a  day  or  two 
before  the  final  adjournment  of  the  Kentucky  Confer- 
ence, he  took  his  departure  for  Lebanon,  Ohio,  by  the 
same  conveyance  that  took  him  and  his  family  to 
Louisville  the  year  before — a  Dearborn  wagon,  his 
horse  Samson,  and  the  pony. 

As  Lebanon  had  just  been  cut  off  from  Union 
Circuit,   his    first   work   was    organization — no    slight 

*  Bangs's  "  History  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,"  Vol.  Ill, 
page  388. 


LEBANON  CIRCUIT.  105 

work  either,  on  a  field  of  such  extent.  At  the  end 
of  his  first  year,  in  which  he  had  no  colleague,  he 
reported  five  hundred  and  fifteen  members.  The 
stewards  provided  a  small  house  for  his  occupancy, 
and  collected  about  three-fourths  of  his  quarterage 
claim,  each  of  the  two  years  he  labored  on  the 
circuit ;  but  provisions  were  plenty  and  cheap,  and 
he  lived  through  the  term  without  any  very  serious 
financial  embarrassment.  Lebanon  is  situated  in  a 
remarkably  fertile  and  beautiful  section  of  Ohio,  be- 
tween the  Little  and  Great  Miami  Rivers  ;  and  the 
circuit  was,  in  many  respects,  a  very  pleasant  field 
of  labor.  Still,  that  lovely  region  now  conveys  very 
little  idea  of  what  it  was  in  its  comparatively  unde- 
veloped state  then.  For  a  large  part  of  the  year  the 
roads  were  very  bad,  and  the  congregations,  except 
on  Sabbath,  very  small.  During  his  second  year  on 
this  circuit,  Rev.  Joseph  J.  Hill  was  his  helper,  and  a 
very  useful,  efficient  one ;  they  were  favored  with 
several  gracious  revivals,  and  reported  an  increase  of 
fifty-one  members. 

While  living  in  Lebanon,  Mr.  Morris  was  a  near 
neighbor  of  Bishop  Soule,  who  resided  there  for 
many  years.  Four  of  the  bishop's  children  were  re- 
ceived into  the  Church  under  the  ministry  of  Mr. 
Morris  and  his  colleague,  one  of  whom  became  the 
wife  of  the  latter.  While  here,  Mr.  Morris  invested 
six  hundred  dollars,  saved  from  the  wreck  of  his  Ken- 
tucky speculation,  in  town  lots,  with  a  small  house 
on  one  of  them.  This  property,  six  years  later,  he 
sold  for  twelve  hundred  dollars.  This  was  his  first 
successful  effort  at  mending  his  broken  fortunes. 


106  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

At  the  end  of  two  years  on  Lebanon  Circuit, 
Mr.  Morris  was  appointed  to  Columbus,  which 
was  that  year  (1830)  made  a  station.  On  his  ar- 
rival there  to  enter  upon  his  work,  the  prospect 
seemed  any  thing  but  encouraging.  The  little  chapel 
on  Town  Street  was  awkwardly  constructed  ;  the 
pulpit  was  placed  between  the  two  front  doors  ;  the 
house  had  a  roof  and  floor,  but  no  plastering  ;  it 
had  no  seats,  but  loose,  rough  boards  ;  there  was  the 
unsightly  skeleton  of  a  gallery,  the  naked  timbers 
without  flooring  ;  while  for  a  pulpit  the  preacher  used 
a  small,  rough  box,  placed  under  the  gallery  at  the 
rear  end  of  the  house,  with  the  uncovered  timbers 
overhead  for  a  canopy.  The  house  provided  for  the 
pastor  and  his  family  was  a  dilapidated  tenement  in 
the  rear  of  the  church,  originally  intended  for  the 
sexton.  It  was  a  one-story  wooden  building,  consist- 
ing of  two  very  small  rooms,  in  which  they  lived  the 
year  out,  received  their  company,  and  did  their  own 
work.  As  this  "parsonage"  was  located  in  the  vi- 
cinity of  stables,  on  an  alley,  the  inmates  were  greatly 
annoyed  in  Summer  by  flies.  Mr.  Morris,  in  his 
diary,  speaks  of  the  method  he  adopted  to  abate  this 
nuisance: 

"  On  the  smooth  surface  of  a  broad  board  I  poured 
a  small  stream  of  honey,  so  as  to  form  a  circle  ;  im- 
mediately adjoining  which,  I  formed  an  outer  circle 
of  gunpowder,  with  a  connecting  arm  extending  at 
right  angles  six  inches,  so  as  to  ignite  without  fright- 
ening the  enemy.  When  the  whole  circle  of  powder 
was  covered  with  flies,  two  or  three  deep,  with  their 
bills  in  the  honey,  I  applied  a  red-hot  iron  rod  to  the 


COLUMBUS  STATION.  107 

connecting  train,  blowing  up  hundreds  at  a  blast.  A 
few  such  operations  each  day  left  us  in  the  quiet  and 
peaceable  possession  of  the  field." 

However  unpromising  the  field  of  labor  might 
seem,  Mr.  Morris  felt  that  it  was  his  business  to  make 
it  better,  by  cultivating  it  diligently  ;  and  he  went  to 
work  with  a  will — preaching,  visiting  from  house  to 
house,  meeting  classes,  attending  the  Sabbath-school, 
instructing  the  teachers  one  evening  each  week,  and 
holding  prayer-meetings.  It  was  hard  toiling,  and 
against  many  discouragements.  As  is  generally  the 
case  about  State  capitals,  there  was  in  Columbus  a 
great  deal  of  fashionable  vice  and  folly.  Wine-parties, 
card-parties,  and  dancing-parties  were  alarmingly 
prevalent.  Many  efforts  were  made  to  draw  off  the 
young  disciples  from  their  religious  course,  and  in- 
volve them  in  the  guilt  of  these  sinful  amusements. 
In  one  instance,  the  managers  of  a  public  ball  had  the 
effrontery  to  send  cards  of  invitation  to  some  half- 
dozen  young  ladies,  members  of  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal Church.  The  preacher  regarded  this  as  a  de- 
liberate insult  to  them,  and  through  them  to  him 
and  the  entire  Church.  Accordingly^  on  the  next 
Sabbath  evening,  when  nearly  all  the  offenders  were 
supposed  to  be  present,  in  a  full  house,  he  gave  them 
such  a  rebuke  as,  in  his  judgment,  the  offense 
merited,  and  ito  more  tickets  to  balls  were  sent  to 
his  young  people  that  season.  For  a  few  weeks, 
some,  affecting  to  take  offense  at  his  plain  preaching, 
drew  off  from  the  congregation,  and  sought  to  take 
others  with  them,  but  they  soon  returned. 

Extreme  cold  weather,  when  Winter  fairly  set  in, 


108  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

operated  against  them  in  their  open  chapel  ;  but  as 
soon  as  moderate  weather  returned,  the  church  was 
more  crowded  than  ever,  and  in  the  Spring  they  were 
favored  with  a  revival.  During  one  week,  while  as- 
sisted by  Rev.  Joseph  M.  Trimble,  the  pastor  received 
over  eighty  persons  into  the  Church  as  probationers; 
but,  in  the  very  height  of  the  religious  awakening, 
small-pox  made  its  appearance  in  the  city,  causing  a 
great  panic,  and  dispersing  the  congregations.  For  a 
few  weeks  the  revival  influence  seemed  to  subside  ; 
but  when  the  panic  ceased,  the  people  rallied  again, 
and  the  good  work  went  on  with  greater  power 
than  before.  The  first  visitation  was  chiefly  one  of 
awakening  power,  but  the  second  was  characterized 
by  converting  grace.  At  their  evening  society-meet- 
ings for  the  benefit  of  penitents,  it  was  not  uncom- 
mon to  have  from  six  to  eight  clear  cases  of  pardon 
and  adoption  ;  and  thus  those  who  were  received  on 
probation  during  the  first  stage  of  the  meeting,  and 
many  others,  were  soundly  converted,  and  became 
established  believers  and  useful  members  of  the 
society.  The  number  of  members  in  the  society 
when  it  was  organized  as  a  station  can  not  now  be 
ascertained  ;  but  at  the  close  of  that  year  Mr.  Morris 
reported  three  hundred  and  twenty,  and  the  net  in- 
crease was  probably  not  far  from  one  hundred. 

As  to  the  matter  of  salary,  the  stewards  of  the 
station  could  only  engage  to  pay  what  was  then 
called  the  "  quarterage  claim,"  amounting,  in  the  case 
of  Mr.  Morris,  to  two  hundred  and  twenty-four  dollars. 
One  of  them,  however — Mr.  George  M'Cormack — 
undertook  on  his  own  responsibility  to  collect  fifteen 


CONFERENCE  SESSION,   1831.  109 

dollars  a  quarter  outside  of  the  membership,  for 
family  expenses,  and  succeeded,  making  the  total 
salary  for  the  year  two  hundred  and  eighty-four  dol- 
lars. On  this  small  sum  Mr.  Morris  and  his  family 
managed  to  live  that  year,  and  they  did  it  uncom- 
plainingly, believing  that  the  brethren  were  not  well 
able  to  do  more  ;  and  they  always  spoke  of  the  year 
spent  in  Columbus  as  among  the  most  agreeable, 
upon  the  whole,  of  their  itinerant  life.  Before  Con- 
ference, the  brethren  raised  money  sufficient  to  com- 
plete the  church,  and  Methodism  has  never  wanted  a 
comfortable  home  in  Columbus  since. 

In  183 1,  the  Ohio  Conference  met  in  Mansfield, 
in  the  court-house.  Among  other  items  of  important 
business,  delegates  were  elected  to  the  General  Con- 
ference, to  assemble  the  ensuing  May  in  the  city  of 
Philadelphia.  The  delegation  chosen  was  an  exceed- 
ingly able  one,  consisting  of  the  following,  now  nearly 
all  historic  names :  David  Young,  Russel  Bigelow, 
James  Quinn,  John  F.  Wright,  Leroy  Swormstedt, 
Thomas  A.  Morris,  William  H.  Raper,  Arthur  W. 
Elliott,  James  B.  Finley,  Zechariah  Connell,  Curtis 
Goddard,  John  Collins,  William  B.  Christie,  Charles 
Holliday,  and  Greenbury  R.  Jones.  The  Conference 
had  ordered  that  certain  papers  should  be  put  into 
the  hands  of  the  preacher  who  should  be  appointed 
in  charge  of  Cincinnati  Station,  then  including  all  our 
city  Churches  in  one  pastoral  charge.  A  very  short 
time  before  the  final  adjournment,  these  papers  were 
handed  by  the  secretary  to  Bishop  Heckling,  and  by 
him  to  Mr.  Morris,  who  was  thus  enabled  to  "guess" 
pretty  accurately  where  his  next  appointment  would 


I  10  LIFE  OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

be.  For  this,  however,  he  was  not  wholly  unprepared. 
Bishop  M'Kendree  had  spent  a  few  days  at  the  par- 
sonage in  Columbus,  a  week  or  two  before  Conference, 
and  in  the  course  of  a  private  conversation  had  said: 

"  I  came  through  Cincinnati  ;  the  old  stone  church 
is  taken  down  to  make  way  for  a  new  one,  and  serv- 
ices are  held  in  the  court-house.  The  congregation 
is  in  a  scattered  condition,  and  it  will  be  difficult  to 
gather  them  together  again.  I  am  not  the  responsi- 
ble man  at  your  Conference  this  year;  but  if  I  weref 
I  should  want  you  to  go  there." 

The  suspicion  aroused  in  the  mind  of  Mr.  Morris, 
by  this  hint  from  the  senior  bishop,  was  fully  verified 
at  the  close  of  the  Mansfield  Conference,  when  Bishop 
Hedding  announced,  among  others,  the  following 
appointments:  "Cincinnati  Station — Thomas  A. 
Morris,  Nathan  Emery,  W.  B.  Christie,  Edmund  W. 
Sehon." 

This  change  was  far  from  being  a  source  of  grati- 
fication to  Mr.  Morris.  An  overland  move  of  one 
hundred  and  twenty  miles  of  bad  road  was  no  holi- 
day affair  to  a  feeble,  almost  helpless  family.  They 
could  have  spent  another  year  pleasantly  in  their  hum- 
ble domicile,  and  among  their  warm-hearted  friends 
in  Columbus.  The  new  converts,  many  of  whom  knew 
little  of  Methodist  polity,  were  sorely  grieved  to  lose 
their  beloved  pastor,  and  could  scarcely  be  reconciled 
to  the  arrangement.  Among  them  was  a  poor  but 
honest  and  industrious  man,  known  in  the  community 
as  Father  M'Coy,  whose  great  failing  was  a  love  for 
the  decanter.  Being  pleased  with  Mr.  Morris's 
preaching,   he  became    first    a    regular    hearer,    then 


MOVING    TO   CINCINNATI.  Ill 


sober,  then  truly  awakened  and  deeply  penitent,  and 
finally  was  happily  converted.  On  learning  that  he 
was  about  to  lose  his  pastor,  he  hastened  to  the  par- 
sonage, and  with  tears  entreated  Mr.  Morris  not  to 
leave  them.  "  I  am  a  poor  man,"  he  said,  "  and  can 
not  do  much  ;  but  if  you  will  only  stay  with  us,  I 
will  give  you  all  the  potatoes  you  need  next  year." 
Father  M'Coy  lived  a  few  years,  a  striking  example 
of  the  power  of  saving  grace,  even  in  the  otherwise 
hopeless  case  of  a  once  confirmed  inebriate,  and  then 
died  in  peace. 

Mr.  Morris  sent  his  household  goods  by  wagon  to 
Cincinnati,  while  he  with  his  family  took  Athens  in 
their  route,  to  visit  his  son,  then  a  student  in  the 
Ohio  University.  On  their  arrival  finally  at  the 
Queen  City,  they  were  doomed  to  meet  an  unexpected 
defeat  of  their  previously  determined  mode  of  living. 
Having  no  suitable  outfit  for  housekeeping  in  the 
city,  Mr.  Morris  had  written  from  Columbus  to  one 
of  the  stewards  in  Cincinnati  to  engage  a  suitable 
boarding-place  for  himself  and  family.  To  this  reason- 
able request  no  attention  was  paid  ;  and,  at  the  first 
official  meeting,  the  stewards  signified  that  it  was 
their  wish  to  have  the  parsonage  occupied  by  the 
preacher  in  charge.  He  at  once  moved  into  the  old 
house  thus  designated,  on  B/oadway,  near  Fifth  Street, 
and  furnished  it  as  comfortably  as  his  means  would 
allow.  All  this  could  have  been  borne  cheerfully  if 
his  allowance  had  been  adequate  to  meet  expenses  ; 
but  in  addition  to  the  house,  which  was  poor  and 
uncomfortable,  his  salary  was  four  hundred  and  fifty 
dollars,  all   told.      The   last   fifty  was   added,  he  was 


1 1 2  LIFE  OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

informed,  in  view  of  the  fact  that  he  would  be  ex- 
pected to  "entertain  comers  and  goers" — visiting 
brethren,  lay  and  clerical. 

Having  but  a  limited  supply  of  beds  for  the  "  comers 
and  goers,"  Mr.  Morris  found  it  necessary  to  buy  a 
cot,  which  he  carried  home  on  his  own  shoulders. 
The  first  attempt  to  use  it  broke  it  down.  He  carried 
it  back  for  repairs,  and,  when  mended,  bore  it  along 
Fifth  Street  as  before,  for  the  third  time.  It  was  hard 
work,  but  saved  the  drayage.  His  wife's  health  was 
very  poor,  and  that  of  his  daughter  scarcely  better  ; 
but  to  hire  help  without  the  means  to  pay  for  it  was 
a  thing  not  to  be  thought  of;  and  so,  as  the  next  best 
thing,  he  procured  a  washing-machine,  which,  together 
with  his  saw  and  ax,  furnished  him  an  abundance  of 
healthy  exercise.  His  daughter  had  just  strength  to 
prepare  the  clothes,  change  the  water,  and  rinse  them 
when  clean,  while  he  was  both  able  and  willing — 
under  the  circumstances — to  turn  the  machine,  by 
far  the  hardest  part  of  the  job.  Meantime,  however, 
the  water-works  were  destroyed  by  fire,  and  "wash- 
ing" became  a  more  serious  as  well  as  more  expen- 
sive business,  involving  an  outlay  of  twenty-five 
cents  a  barrel  for  water,  hauled  from  the  river,  for 
laundry  purposes.  As  for  the  ordinary  daily  supply 
for  drinking  and  cooking  purposes,  Mr.  Morris  carried 
that  in  buckets  from  Spencer's  well,  a  square  and.  a 
half  distant  from  the  parsonage. 

Cincinnati  Station  at  that  time  included  Wesley, 
Fourth-street,  M'Kendree,  Asbury,  and  New-street 
Chapels,  or  the  entire  city  and  Fulton.  The  Confer- 
ence year  was  marked  by  a  succession  of  calamities 


A   YEAR    OF  CALAMITY.  I  I  3 

to  the  city,  which  were  felt  by  all  classes  of  citizens. 
River  navigation  closed  very  early,  leaving  the  city 
so  little  fuel  that  wood,  hauled  into  town  from  the 
surrounding  farms,  rose  in  price  to  eight  and  nine 
dollars  a  load.  Then  came  numerous  and  destructive 
fires,  consuming  foundries,  hotels,  and  steamboats,  in 
which  many  lives  were  lost.  The  most  embarrassing 
fire,  and  the  one  most  generally  felt  by  the  community 
to  be  a  great  public  calamity,  was  that  which  destroyed 
the  water-works,  leaving  the  people  to  obtain  supplies 
from  the  river  as  best  they  could.  Early  in  1832, 
there  was  a  great  freshet  in  the  Ohio  River.  Oppo- 
site to  Cincinnati  it  rose  sixty-four  feet  above  low- 
water  mark,  flooding  all  that  part  of  the  city  called 
"  the  Bottom  ;"  floating  many  houses  from  their  foun- 
dations, and  inflicting  untold  suffering  on  many  poor 
families.  These  public  distresses  necessarily  increased 
the  toils  and  lessened  the  comforts  of  the  preachers 
and  their  families.  It  was  a  year  of  hard  labor,  and 
of  comparatively  little  fruit. 

Mr.  Morris  was  returned  to  the  city  in  1832,  with 
George  W.  Walker  and  David  Whitcomb  for  his  col- 
leagues. This  was  a  most  eventful  year  in  the  his- 
tory of  Methodism  in  Cincinnati.  During  the  first 
week  of  the  year,  early  in  October,  Asiatic  cholera 
made  its  appearance  so  suddenly,  and  operated  with 
such  violence  and  fatality,  as  to  produce  general  con- 
sternation among  the  people.  •  Some  shut  themselves 
up  at  home,  living  abstemiously,  and  furnished  with 
preventives  and  remedies  ;  others  fled  to  the  country, 
hoping  by  that  means  to  escape  from  the  deadly  in- 
fluence.     Steamboats,  canal-boats,  stages,  carriages, 

10 


I  14  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

and  market-wagons  were  crowded  day  and  night  with 
affrighted  citizens,  while  many  fled  on  foot,  who  could 
obtain  no  more  rapid  method  of  escape.  Among  these 
were  many  members  of  the  Church,  and  several  class- 
leaders.  Such  of  the  leaders  as  were  obliged  to  leave 
with  their  sick  families  or  friends,  and  notified  their 
pastors  of  the  fact,  were  borne  with  ;  but  such  as  fled 
precipitately,  making  no  arrangements  for  substitutes, 
were  deemed  by  the  preacher  in  charge  guilty  of 
gross  delinquency,  and  removed  from  office. 

The  preachers  not  only  remained  at  their  posts, 
and  exhorted  their  brethren,  publicly  and  privately, 
to  do  the  same,  but  they  labored  more  abundantly, 
attending  the  sick  from  house  to  house,  encouraging 
the  fearful,  comforting  the  dying,  and  burying  the 
dead.  Indeed,  for  three  weeks  they  scarcely  took  rest 
enough  to  sustain  their  physical  nature,  promptly 
obeying  every  call  from  the  afflicted  to  all  parts  of 
the  city  and  at  all  hours  of  the  day  and  night ;  not 
counting  their  lives  dear  unto  themselves,  so  that 
they  might  finish  their  course  with  joy,  and  the  min- 
istry which  they  had  received  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  to 
testify  the  Gospel  of  the  grace  of  God. 

The  city,  during  the  prevalence  of  this  dreadful 
epidemic,  presented  a  mournful  aspect.  Thousands 
of  citizens  were  absent  in  the  country  ;  very  many 
were  closely  confined  by  personal  affliction  or  the 
demands  of  sick  friends  ;  hundreds  were  numbered 
among  the  dead  ;  the  transient  floating  population 
had  entirely  disappeared  ;  the  country  people,  in  ter- 
ror, stood  aloof;  business  was  almost  wholly  sus- 
pended ;  the  tramp  of  hurrying   feet  was   no  longer 


THE   CHOLERA.  115 

heard  on  the  streets  ;  the  din  of  the  city  was  hushed, 
and  every  day  appeared  as  a  Sabbath.  Instead,  how- 
ever, of  the  sound  of  church-going  bells,  and  the 
footsteps  of  happy  throngs  hastening  to  the  house  of 
God,  were  heard  the  shrieks  of  terror-stricken  vic- 
tims of  the  fell  disease,  the  groans  of  the  dying,  and 
the  voices  of  lamentation.  For  weeks,  funeral  pro- 
cessions might  be  seen  at  any  hour  from  early  morn- 
ing to  late  at  night.  All  classes  of  people  were 
stricken  down  in  this  fearful  visitation.  Doctors,  min- 
isters, lawyers,  merchants  and  mechanics,  the  old 
and  the  young,  the  temperate  and  the  intemperate, 
the  prudent  and  the  imprudent,  were  alike  victims. 
Seventy-five  members  of  the  Cincinnati  Station  died 
that  year,  and  fifty  of  them  were  marked  on  the 
Church  records  as  cholera  cases.  Among  these  fifty 
were  some  of  the  choice  spirits  of  the  Church  :  Rich- 
ard Dement,  local  elder;  John  Boyd,  local  deacon; 
Isaac  Covalt,  Esq.,  a  steward,  and  a  member  of  the 
City  Council ;  Lewis  H.  Lee,  exhorter  and  class- 
leader  ;  besides  many  excellent  private  members,  both 
male  and  female,  all  of  whom,  as  far  as  could  be 
learned,  died  in  peace — many  of  them  rejoicing  to 
the  last. 

The  first  cholera  epidemic  passed  away  in  Octo- 
ber, with  the  first  keen,  frosty  weather  of  the  season  ; 
but  the  second  attack,  which  commenced  with  the 
first  warm  weather  in  the  Spring  of  1833,  continued 
till  August,  and  destroyed  more  lives  probably  than 
the  first,  though  not  at  any  time  apparently  so  violent. 

Another  great  event  of  this  year,  and  one  far  more 
pleasant  to  contemplate,  was  the  extraordinary  revival 


Il6  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

of  religion  in  the  Winter  of  1832-33.  During  the 
epidemic  of  October,  1832,  the  churches  of  the  city 
were  open  on  Sabbath  morning  always,  and  some- 
times in  the  afternoon,  but  closed  at  night,  except  the 
Methodist  churches,  which  were  open  day  and  night,  as 
usual,  and,  all  things  considered,  well  attended.  As 
soon  as  the  cholera  subsided,  our  churches  were  filled; 
a  work  of  grace  began  at  once,  growing  in  interest  and 
power  from  day  to  day;  so  that,  by  the  last  of  No- 
vember, about  one  hundred  and  fifty  probationers  had 
been  received.  The  Rev.  John  Newland  Maffit  now 
appeared  in  the  city  for  the  first  time,  and  assisted 
the  regular  pastors  for  four  weeks.  His  eloquent  dis- 
courses drew  very  large  congregations  nightly,  the 
work  extended,  and  one  hundred  and  fifty  more  were 
admitted  on  trial.  A  day  or  two  after  Mr.  Maffit  left, 
Rev.  James  B.  Finley,  the  presiding  elder,  arrived  in 
the  city,  to  hold  quarterly-meeting.  The  services  be- 
gan on  Friday  night,  and  were  continued  until  Tues- 
day night,  with  most  extraordinary  manifestations  of 
Divine  power.  During  the  quarterly-meeting,  not 
less  than  a  hundred  souls  were  converted,  and  a 
hundred  and  twenty  were  received  into  the  Church 
on  trial. 

The  most  remarkable  demonstration  of  the  Spirit 
took  place  in  Wesley  Chapel,  at  a  watch-night  service 
on  New- Year's  eve,  when  hundreds  were  prostrate  at 
the  same  time,  pleading  for  mercy — the  joyful  shouts 
of  new-born  souls  mingling  with  the  earnest  cries  of 
the  penitent.  The  house  was  crowded  above  and 
below,  and  in  every  part  of  it  the  cry  arose,  "  What 
must  I  do  to  be  saved  ?"     Not  less   than   fifty  were 


A  GREAT  REVIVAL.  ny 

converted  that  evening,  and  fifty-six  united  with  the 
Church  on  probation.  Forty-seven  were  added  to 
the  Fourth-street  Church  the  next  night,  and  seven- 
teen at  M'Kendree.  From  that  time  the  revival  was 
regarded  as  general  in  all  the  congregations,  and 
continued  with  very  little  abatement  for  months. 
During  this  great  work  of  grace  the  official  business 
of  the  Church  was  not  neglected.  The  class-meetings 
were  held  regularly,  and  proved  to  be  most  powerful 
auxiliaries  to  the  more  public  services  ;  society-meet- 
ings were  held  often,  to  which  none  but  members  and 
penitents  were  admitted.  Much  care  was  taken  to 
instruct  penitents,  and  watch  over  those  who  had  been 
admitted  on  trial  as  seekers  of  salvation  ;  and,  as  a 
result  of  this  judicious  administration,  they  were  nearly 
all  converted,  and  became  living  and  useful  members. 
Early  in  the  Spring,  the  pastors  held  a  series  of 
meetings  in  the  several  charges,  beginning  on  Friday 
and  closing  with  a  love-feast  on  Monday  night.  At 
these  meetings  they  concentrated  all  the  Methodistic 
forces  in  the  city,  day  and  night,  except  Sabbath,  and 
the  result  in  every  instance  was  glorious.  At  the 
close  of  such  an  effort  in  Fulton,  the  very  foundations 
of  wickedness  seemed  broken  up.  Wives  who  had 
long  prayed  for  their  husbands,  and  mothers  who  had 
wept  in  secret  over  their  prodigal  sons  and  worldly- 
minded  daughters,  saw  them  fall  down  at  the  foot -of 
the  Cross  to  plead  for  mercy,  and  heard  them  rejoice 
subsequently  in  their  glorious  deliverance  from  the 
bondage  of  sin.  The  reformation  of  morals  in  that 
part  of  the  city  was  very  striking,  and  the  Church 
grew  and  multiplied. 


Il8  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

Upon  the  whole,  this  was  a  memorable  year  in  the 
history  of  Methodism  in  Cincinnati.  While  hundreds 
were  made  sorrowful  by  the  loss  of  dear  friends,  more 
still  were  permitted  to  rejoice  over  the  salvation  of 
relatives  and  neighbors.  The  whole  number  of  appli- 
cants for  membership  on  probation  was  thirteen  hun- 
dred ;  but  as  some  of  these  were  transient  persons, 
driven  out  of  the  city  by  want  of  employment,  and 
others  were  swept  off  by  the  wasting  epidemic,  the 
numbered  enrolled  by  the  preachers,  who  were  very 
careful  not  to  admit  improper  persons,  was  but  one 
thousand.  The  increase  that  year  must  have  been 
very  great  but  for  the  concurrence  of  unusual  causes  ; 
especially  emigration,  caused  by  depression  of  busi- 
ness. At  the  close  of  the  year,  a  careful  examination 
of  the  records  showed  not  less  than  six  hundred  and 
fifty  removals  by  letter,  while  comparatively  few  had 
been  received  in  that  way.  It  is  no  matter  of  sur- 
prise, therefore,  that  the  net  increase  was  only  a 
little  over  three  hundred  members.  Still,  the  general 
result  was  in  the  highest  degree  encouraging  and 
gratifying.  At  least  one  thousand  souls,  it  was  be- 
lieved, had  been  "  saved  by  the  washing  of  regenera- 
tion and  the  renewing  of  the  Holy  Ghost,"  while 
old  members  were  enabled  to  rejoice  in  the  progress 
of  the  cause  of  Christ.  The  work  was  accomplished, 
so  far  as  human  agency  was  concerned,  in  a  Scrip- 
tural and  orderly  manner.  The  means  used  were 
plain,  practical  preaching,  exhortation,  prayer,  ex- 
perience-meetings, and  singing  Methodist  hymns. 
At  all  the  night-meetings,  the  preachers  remained 
till  the  service  closed  and  the  people  dispersed.     No 


ENFORCING  DISCIPLINE. 


II9 


irregularities  or  extravagant  exercises  were  encour- 
aged or  permitted,  every  thing  being  done  "decently 
and  in  order."  Long  will  that  time  of  refreshing  from 
the  presence  of  the  Lord  be  remembered  by  many 
who  participated  in  it,  and  by  their  children.  Some 
few  there  were,  indeed,  who  took  exceptions  at  first 
to  Mr.  Morris's  strict  enforcement  of  discipline;  but 
at  the  close  of  his  second  year  the  official  members, 
by  resolution,  gave  him  a  vote  of  thanks  for  the  sat- 
isfactory manner  in  which  he  had  administered  the 
affairs  of  the  charge. 


120  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 


CHAPTER  V. 

GENERAL     CONFERENCE    OF     1 83  2 APPOINTED     EDITOR     OF 

WESTERN    CHRISTIAN    ADVOCATE GENERAL  CON- 
FERENCE   OF    1836 ELECTED    BISHOP. 

THE  General  Conference  of  1832,  held  May  1st,  in 
the  city  of  Philadelphia,  was  composed  of  two  hun- 
dred and  twenty-three  delegates,  representing  twenty 
annual  conferences.  After  the  usual  opening  exer- 
cises, the  appointment  of  standing  and  special  com- 
mittees, and  the  election  of  officers,  the  Address  of 
the  Bishops  was  read.  It  congratulated  the  Church 
on  the  general  prosperity  of  the  previous  quadrennial, 
on  its  happy  deliverance  from  the  internal  dissensions 
which  had,  at  one  time,  seemed  so  threatening,  and 
on  the  increasing  efficiency  of  the  itinerant  system. 
The  address  then  called  the  attention  of  the  body 
to  the  various  benevolent,  educational,  and  other  en- 
terprises of  the  Church,  the  care  and  enlargement 
of  which  would  call  for  wise  and  prayerful  delibera- 
tion. The  business  of  this  General  Conference  seems 
to  have  been  conducted  in  great  harmony,  and  with 
unusual  dispatch.  No  exciting  question  disturbed 
the  general  good-feeling,  or  elicited  angry  discussion. 
The  presiding-elder  question  was  considered  settled, 
and  the  radical  controversy,  after  the  withdrawal  of 
many   of   the    leading    malcontents,    had    ceased    to 


NARROW  ESCAPE.  121 

agitate  the  Church.  On  the  twenty-second  day  of 
:he  session,  two  additional  bishops  were  elected  ; 
namely,  James  O.  Andrew  and  John  Emory,  both  on 
the  first  ballot. 

It  was  on  his  journey  home  from  this  General 
Conference  that  Mr.  Morris,  with  a  number  of  other 
delegates,  met  with  a  very  narrow  escape  from  a  se- 
rious mishap.  The  company  consisted  of  Bishop 
Soule,  J.  B.  Finley,  J.  Edmondson,  D.  Young,  A.  W. 
Elliott,  Jesse  Green,  and  T.  A.  Morris.  They  were 
crossing  the  Alleghany  Mountains  on  Stockton's  fast 
line  of  passenger  mail-coaches,  from  Baltimore  to 
Wheeling.  It  was  a  very  hot  day,  the  1st  of  June  ; 
but  being  homeward  bound,  and  all  on  the  best  of 
terms  with  each  other,  the  time  was  agreeably  occu- 
pied with  religious  and  general  conversation.  As 
they  came  down  the  west  side  of  Polish  Mountain, 
while  passing  a  train  of  heavy  wagons,  the  team  took 
fright  and  ran  off,  dashing  at  full  speed  down  the 
mountain.  After  running  about  a  fourth  of  a  mile, 
the  coach  was  upset,  and  at  the  same  time  precipi- 
tated, with  team,  passengers,  and  luggage,  down  a 
rough  and  steep  embankment,  a  distance  of  thirty- 
two  feet.  The  driver  saved  himself  by  jumping  off 
his  box  as  soon  as  he  saw  that  the  coach  must  go 
over.  Rev.  Jesse  Green,  who  sat  with  him,  attempt- 
ing to  follow  the  driver's  example,  broke  his  arm. 
The  coach  brought  up  against  a  new  and  strong  fence 
of  oak  rails,  with  such  a  terrible  concussion  that  it 
was  reduced  to  a  wreck.  The  shock  to  the  passen- 
gers was  terrible,  of  course,  and  was  soon  followed  by 
the  outcries  of  the  wounded.     Bishop  Soule  was  the 

ii 


122  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

first  to  extricate  himself;  he  had  received  some  slight 
wounds,  and  had  lost  part  of  one  thumb.  The  next 
one  who  emerged  from  the  debris  was  Rev.  J.  B. 
Finley,  with  his  face  cut  and  bleeding,  and  his  whole 
system  so  shocked  that  he  soon  became  quite  sick 
and  faint.  Mr.  Morris  then  crawled  out  uninjured. 
Rev.  A.  W.  Elliott  was  heard  calling  for  help,  and 
was  got  out  by  the  efforts  of  those  who  were  least 
damaged — his  shoulders  being  so  wrenched  by  the 
fall  that  for  years  afterward  he  could  not  get  his  coat 
on  without  help.  Rev.  Joseph  Edmondson  was  next 
recovered  from  the  ruins,  very  much  injured — his  face 
being  fearfully  cut  from  chin  to  forehead,  and  the 
blood  streaming  clown  into  his  bosom.  Last  of  all, 
they  recovered  Rev.  David  Young,  whose  unconscious 
moans  were  truly  distressing ;  his  collar-bone  was 
crushed,  several  of  his  ribs  were  broken,  and  other 
injuries  more  or  less  serious  received.  They  were  on 
the  south  side  of  the  hill,  and  the  only  shade  availa- 
ble was  the  imperfect  one  afforded  by  the  fence,  in  the 
corners  of  which  the  wounded  were  placed.  There 
lay  Finley,  Elliott,  Young,  and  Edmondson.  As  Mr. 
Morris  was  wiping  the  dust  from  the  face  of  Young, 
Bishop  Soule  came  up  with  Jesse  Green  in  his  arms, 
carrying  him  like  a  child  from  the  hot  and  dusty  pike 
where  he  fell  ;  and  he,  too,  was  placed  in  the  extem- 
porized hospital  in  the  fence  corner.  One  of.  the 
company  had  a  thumb-lancet,  with  which  Bishop 
Soule  bled  Rev.  Mr.  Young  pretty  freely,  and  he  soon 
revived.  After  waiting  for  some  time,  the  accommo- 
dation stage  came  along,  and  carried  all  the  passen- 
gers  to   Slicer's  tavern,  a  mile  or  two  distant,  except 


OHIO  CONFERENCE,    1833.  1 23 

Morris  and   Elliott,  who  remained  with   the   luggage 
until    the   driver    returned   with   a   farm-wagon,    and 

hauled  them,  with  the  mail  and  trunks,  to  the  tavern. 

They  had  to  send  fourteen  miles,  to  Cumberland, 
for  a  surgeon.  Finally  one  arrived  at  midnight — Dr. 
Lawrence — who  was  kept  busy  until  morning,  setting- 
fractured  bones  and  dressing  wounds.  Next  day, 
leaving  Mr.  Young  in  care  of  Mr.  Finley,  the  rest  of 
the  party  started  for  Cumberland,  where  Jesse  Green 
was  left  with  Dr.  Lawrence,  and,  on  Monday  follow- 
ing, those  who  were  able  resumed  their  journey, 
thankful  to  have  escaped  with  life. 

The  Ohio  Conference  met  in  Cincinnati  in  1833, 
holding  its  sessions  in  the  old  Cincinnati  College,  on 
Walnut  Street.  Mr.  Morris,  having  completed  his 
term  of  two  years  as  preacher  in  charge  of  the 
station,  was  that  year  appointed  presiding  elder  of  the 
Cincinnati  District.  He  rented  a  house  at  Madison- 
ville,  a  small  village  about  eight  miles  from  the  city, 
for  which  he  paid  three  dollars  a  month,  purchased  a 
horse,  a  light  wagon,  and  a  cow,  and  felt  quite  at 
home  among  his  rural  and  pleasant  neighbors.  The 
district  stewards'-meeting  allowed  him  one  hundred 
and  twenty  dollars  for  house-rent,  fuel,  and  provisions, 
which,  with  his  quarterage  claim,  made  a  salary  of 
three  hundred  and  twenty  dollars.  He  entered  upon 
his  work  cheerfully  and  zealously,  and  was  prosecut- 
ing it  with  his  accustomed  energy  and  success,  when, 
in  April,  1833,  he  was  directed  by  the  authorities  of 
the  Church  to  return  to  Cincinnati  to  take  editorial 
charge  of  the   Western  CJiristian  Advocate. 

It  may  be  well   to  pause  here  for  a  moment,  and 


124  LIFE   0F  BISHOP   MORRIS. 

invite  the  attention  of  the  reader  to  a  brief  re'sume' 
of  the  history  of  Methodist  periodical  literature.  In 
the  language  of  the  great  American  historian  of  our 
Church,  "Methodism  began  its  march  from  the  gates 
of  a  university,"  and  no  man  ever  labored  more  in- 
defatigably  in  the  walks  of  literature  for  the  elevation 
of  the  popular  mind  than  did  John  Wesley,  who  was 
probably  the  very  first  to  set  the  example  of  modern 
cheap  prices,  sustained  by  large  sales.  In  addition 
to  his  own  prose  productions,  constituting  fourteen 
octavo  volumes,  in  the  English  edition,  his  "Notes" 
and  abridgments  make  a  catalogue  of  one  hundred 
and  eighteen  prose  works,  forty-nine  poetical  publi- 
cations by  himself  and  his  brother,  and  five  distinct 
works  on  music.  In  the  year  1777,  Mr.  Wesley  pro- 
jected the  Arminian  Magazine,  the  first  number  of 
which  was  issued  early  in  1778,  and  which  is  now  the 
oldest  religious  periodical  in  the  world. 

American  Methodism  has  always  been  true  to  the 
example  of  its  illustrious  founder;  for,  in  1789,  only 
five  years  after  the  organization  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church,  her  celebrated  "  Book  Concern  " 
was  founded.  Rev.  John  Dickins,  then  the  only 
Methodist  preacher  in  Philadelphia,  was  appointed 
"Book  Steward"  of  the  denomination.  The  capital 
of  the  Concern  was  originally  six  hundred  dollars, 
lent  to  it  by  Mr.  Dickins  himself.  In  1804,  trie  Con- 
cern was  removed  from  Philadelphia  to  New  York. 
In  18 18,  the  Methodist  Magazine  was  begun,  which  is 
still  published,  under  the  title  of  the  MeiJiodist  Quar- 
terly Review.  On  the  91I1  of  September,  1826,  the 
first   number  of  the  Christian  Advocate  and  Journal 


METHODIST  PERIODICALS.  125 

was  issued,  the  success  of  which  was  very  remarkable. 
"In  a  very  short  time,"  says  Dr.  Bangs,  in  his  His- 
tory of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  "its  number 
of  subscribers  far  exceeded  every  other  paper  pub- 
lished in  the  United  States,  being  about  twenty-five 
thousand  ;  and  it  soon  increased  to  thirty  thousand, 
and  was  probably  read  by  more  than  one  hundred 
and  twenty  thousand  persons,  young  and  old." 

In  1820,  at  the  earnest  request  of  Methodists  west 
of  the  Alleghany  Mountains,  the  General  Conference 
authorized  the  establishment  of  a  branch  of  the  Book 
Concern  in  Cincinnati,  and  in  1834  the  publication  of 
the  Western  Christian  Advocate  was  begun.  There 
were,  in  1866,  as  we  learn  from  a  Centenary  Sermon 
by  Bishop  Clark,  two  principal  Book  Concerns — one 
in  New  York  and  one  in  Cincinnati — with  eleven  de- 
positories, accommodating  different  sections  of  the 
country,  and  located  mainly  in  the  large  cities.  The 
growth  and  enlargement  of  our  publishing  interest 
have  been  unprecedented  in  the  history  of  similar 
enterprises.  The  six  hundred  dollars  borrozved  cap- 
ital had  resulted,  in  seventy-seven  years,  or  at  the 
period  of  the  Centenary  of  American  Methodism,  in 
an  owned  aggregate  net  capital  of  $958,298.72.  It 
kept  in  constant  employment  at  that  time  about 
thirty-five  cylinder-presses  ;  issued  twelve  weekly 
papers,  with  an  aggregate  circulation  of  one  hundred 
and  fifty  thousand  copies  ;  also  a  well-sustained  quar- 
terly, and  a  family  monthly  magazine  circulating 
thirty-five  thousand  copies,  a  Sunday-school  Advo- 
cate, and  a  German  Sunday-school  paper  ;  together 
circulating  about  three  hundred  and  twenty-five  thou- 


126  LIFE   OF  BISHOP   MORRIS. 

sand  copies.  Some  idea  of  the  immense  power  and 
influence  of  this  great  agency  of  the  Church  may  be 
gathered  from  the  fact  that  in  the  Centennial  Year — 
1866 — the  actual  business  of  the  Methodist  Book 
Concern,  in  the  East  and  in  the  West,  amounted  to 
$1,303,966.95,  for  twelve  months. 

When,  in  April,  1834,  Mr.  Morris  relinquished  his 
pleasant  and  congenial  work  on  the  Cincinnati  Dis- 
trict, to  undertake  the  editorship  of  the  Western  Chris- 
tian Advocate,  he  felt  that  he  was  making  a  new  and 
doubtful  experiment.  The  paper  was  to  be  made, 
subscribers  were  to  be  obtained,  correspondents  se- 
cured, and,  in  short,  every  thing  pertaining  to  the 
business  was  to  be  learned  ab  initio.  At  that  day  no 
provision  was  made  for  an  office  assistant,  or  any 
help  whatever  in  the  editorial  management  of  the 
paper.  One  man  was  expected  to  prepare  the  edito- 
rials, make  the  selections  from  exchanges,  condense 
the  current  news,  prepare  the  items,  supervise  all 
manuscript,  and  attend  to  the  correspondence  of  the 
office.  The  authorities  of  the  Church  had  recog- 
nized in  Mr.  Morris  the  peculiar  and  rare  qualities 
that  were  demanded  for  such  work.  He  was  even  then 
known  widely  as  a  writer  who  wielded  a  facile,  chaste, 
and  ready  pen  ;  and  also  as  a  man  of  rare  good 
sense,  wide  observation,  sound  judgment,  and  great 
practical  wisdom. 

Notwithstanding  all  the  disadvantages  under  which 
he  was  about  to  enter  upon  this  new  and  untried 
field,  such  were  his  energy  and  industry  and  ability  in 
cultivating  it,  that  the  paper  entered  upon  its  third 
volume  with  over  eight  thousand  subscribers  ;  and  it 


"  THE  PRESS."  127 

is  no  disparagement  of  the  many  eminent  writers 
who  have  succeeded  him  to  say,  that  the  Western 
Christian  Advocate  has  never  been  more  popular  with 
its  patrons  than  when  conducted  by  Thomas  A. 
Morris.  As  furnishing  both  a  specimen  of  his  terse, 
neat  style,  and  his  views  of  the  power  and  responsi- 
bility of  the  press,  we  subjoin  the  editorial  entitled 
"  The  Press  :" 

"That  printing  machine  is  a  wonderful  invention. 
Nothing  could  supply  its  place  in  the  dissemination 
of  knowledge.  Through  its  agency  one  individual 
may  speak  to  millions,  not  only  while  he  lives,  but 
when  sleeping  in  his  grave.  Thoughts  committed  to 
paper,  and  printed  in  books  centuries  ago,  are  still  in 
existence,  and  familiar  to  reading  men  of  this  gener- 
ation. Thus,  by  the  power  of  this  simple  engine, 
distant  ages  are  brought  together;  and,  with  the  aid 
of  translators,  men  of  all  languages  may  converse  and 
become  acquainted  with  each  others'  laws,  customs, 
and  religions,  through  the  press.  When  the  world 
was  dependent  on  scribes  to  multiply  copies  of  man- 
uscript, only  limited  scraps  of  history  could  be 
preserved,  and  the  knowledge  of  them  was  necessarily 
confined  to  a  few  individuals  who  might  obtain 
access  to  the  huge  rolls  of  parchment  on  which  they 
were  written. 

"  We  are  indebted  to  the  press  for  the  abundance 
and  cheapness  of  reading  in  this  age.  Had  not  the 
art  of  printing  been  discovered,  'even  the  Word  of 
Life,'  contained  in  the  records  of  salvation,  would  still 
be  locked  up  in  the  archives  of  the  university,  and 
read    only   by    a   few  learned   doctors   of   law.     The 


128  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

press,  under  a  wise  and  gracious  Providence,  has 
thrown  the  Bible  among  the  multitudes  of  common 
people,  and  made  it  at  once  the  parent's  companion 
and  the  child's  school-book.  Thus  the  people  gen- 
erally in  this  favored  land  may  have  access  to  the 
fountain-head  of  knowledge,  which  is  able  to  make 
them  wise  unto  salvation,  through  faith  which,  is  in 
Christ  Jesus. 

"  So  it  is  in  all  Protestant  countries,  and  so  it 
should  be  throughout  the  world.  To  expect  the 
people  to  find  their  way  to  heaven  without  the  holy 
Scriptures,  is  as  unreasonable  as  to  require  mariners 
to  navigate  the  high  seas  without  chart  or  compass. 
Whenever  the  people  of  any  country  shall  be  furnished 
with  the  Bible,  and  sufficient  knowledge  of  letters  to 
read  it,  they  will  soon  understand  their  chartered 
rights,  both  as  Christians  and  citizens  ;  and  will  have 
courage  to  assert  them,  too,  in  defiance  of  popes  and 
tyrants.  They,  whose  usurped  authority  rests  upon 
the  slender  foundation,  "  Ignorance  is  the  mother  of 
devotion,'  have  important  reasons  for  withholding  the 
Bible  from  their  deluded  subjects.  And  to  them 
nothing  is  more  troublesome  than  the  press.  It  is 
difficult  for  them  to  exclude  from  their  limited  do- 
minions all  the  light  which  it  sheds  upon  the  world 
around  them.  How  important,  then,  is  the  press  in 
multiplying  copies  of  the  sacred  writings,  and  remov- 
ing obstructions  to  their  circulation  !  Just  in  propor- 
tion as  pure  Christianity  progresses  and  prospers  in 
the  world,  sound  learning,  civil  liberty,  and  all  the 
blessings  of  social  life  will  advance  among  the  nations 
of  the  earth,  and  no  faster.     'Righteousness  exalteth 


"THE   PRESS."  129 

a  nation  ;  but  sin  is  a  reproach  to  any  people,'  is  as 
true  now  as  it  was  when  Solomon  wrote  it. 

"  But  the  press,  like  all  other  benefits  conferred 
upon  man,  is  liable  to  be  abused  and  perverted  to 
improper  uses.  While  'the  liberty  of  the  press'  is  to 
be  maintained  by  every  Christian  and  patriot,  care 
should  be  taken  to  restrain  it  within  proper  bounds. 
There  is  certainly  a  marked  difference  between  the 
liberty  of  the  press  and  the  licentiousness  of  it, 
whether  viewed  in  the  political,  literary,  or  religious 
department  of  its  operations. 

"The  political  press  should  teach  the  rights  of 
man,  expound  international  law,  advocate  the  princi- 
ples of  our  free  institutions,  keep  the  people  advised 
of  the  state  of  commerce,  and  publish  general  intel- 
ligence. But  it  should  never  be  enlisted  in  the  cause 
of  mobocracy,  or  demagogism,  or  such  party  measures 
as  conflict  with  the  general  good  of  the  country  ;  nor 
should  it  ever  be  degraded  by  dealing  in  slander,  or 
personal  invective,  or  any  disgusting  details  of  private 
scandal.  This  standard  is  evidently  none  too  high. 
But  if  every  political  newspaper  which  falls  below  it 
were  expunged  from  the  catalogue,  how  few  of  them 
would  be  left  !  How  many  political  newspapers  are 
there  in  the  United  States  which  do  not  evince  more 
zeal  for  their  respective  leaders  and  parties  than  they 
do  for  their  country  ?  Which  of  them  will  not  abuse 
a  political  opponent  to  prevent  his  elevation,  or  flatter 
a  political  friend  for  the  remote  prospect  of  obtaining 
office  ?  Nay,  which  of  them  will  not  publish  fulsome 
notices  of  a  masquerade,  a  theater,  a  circus,  a  horse- 
race, or  a  tippling-house,  for  the  paltry  sum  of  a  few 


130  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

cents?  'Straws  show  which  way  the  wind  blows/ 
and  these  objectionable  items  but  too  clearly  indicate 
the  spirit  of  the  political  press.  In  vain  may  it 
attempt  to  reform  the  people  till  it  reforms  itself. 

"The  literary  press  operates  in  a  milder  atmos- 
phere, sustains  a  relation  less  exciting,  and  occupies 
a  position  less  perilous,  and  consequently  is,  in  a 
great  measure,  clear  of  the  objections  above  named. 
That  it  has  its  toils,  perplexities,  and  discourage- 
ments to  contend  with,  is  admitted  ;  but  being  free 
from  the  contaminating  influence  of  office,  and  from 
the  agitation  of  evil  passions,  it  meets  these  difficul- 
ties calmly,  patiently,  and  in  hope  of  ultimate  success. 
Besides,  its  toil  is  pleasant.  What  delightful  labor  to 
store  the  mind  with  knowledge,  and  then  employ  it  in 
erecting  monuments  of  science,  and  strewing  the 
garlands  of  literature  along  the  path  of  life  for  those 
who  come  after!  Such  employment,  though  it  may 
promise  little  wealth  and  no  sensual  pleasure,  has 
the  advantage  of  being  free  from  the  corrupting  in- 
fluence of  vicious  associations,  and  threatens  no  re- 
morse of  conscience  to  be  endured  in  the  evening  of 
life.  Still,  the  literary  press  is  only  less  liable  to 
abuse  than  the  political,  and  not  wholly  secure 
against  it.  The  appetites  of  its  readers  are  various, 
some  of  them  quite  vitiated  by  the  use  of  improper 
aliment  ;  hence  arises  a  temptation  to  indulge  their 
perverted  tastes  to  the  injury  of  their  judgment  and 
general  vigor  of  character.  If  proof  be  demanded, 
reference  may  be  had  to  all  the  varieties  of  fiction,  from 
the  less  offensive  novel  down  to  the  commonplace 
love-tale,    written    by    a    novice   for    some  would-be 


"  THE  PRESS."  I31 

literary  periodical,  and  to  the  debilitating  and  con- 
taminating influence  which  they  exert  upon  the  minds 
and  characters  of  their  deluded  readers.  All  tales 
of  wild  adventure,  whether  in  war  or  love,  are  highly 
injurious  to  young  readers  of  both  sexes.  They  not 
only  lessen  the  inclination  to  study  and  the  desire 
for  useful  knowledge,  but  they  fix  in  the  mind  erro- 
neous views  of  men  and  things,  by  portraying  char- 
acters which  never  existed,  and  recording  events 
which  never  transpired,  and  thus  introducing  them  to 
a  world  very  different  from  the  one  in  which  they 
live.  Walker's  definition  of  romancer  is,  'A  liar,  a 
forger  of  tales.'  And  yet  thousands  of  young  females, 
whose  minds  are  naturally  sprightly  and  amiable, 
spend  their  days  and  nights  in  poring  and  weeping 
over  these  forgeries,  as  though  they  were  credible 
and  useful  histories.  Such  a  young  lady  has  received 
an  erroneous  education.  It  has  led  her  in  the  wrong 
path  ;  and  the  sooner  she  retraces  her  steps,  the  better. 
She  is  in  danger  of  becoming  an  object  of  pity  in 
the  estimation  of  intelligent  people.  They  who  have 
encouraged  her  to  take  this  delusive  course  in  the 
pursuit  of  knoweldge  are  justly  censurable. 

"  But  what  should  be  said  of  the  religious  press  ? 
Its  responsibility  is  as  much  greater  than  that  of  alt 
others  as  our  spiritual  and  eternal  interests  are  higher 
than  those  of  earth  and  time.  Mistakes  here  may 
endanger  the  everlasting  welfare  of  deathless  spirits  ; 
yea,  spirits  redeemed  by  the  blood  of  the  Lamb,  and 
already  placed  upon  ground  of  possible  salvation. 
The  press  which  is  professedly  devoted  to  the  interest 
of  religion    should  never  become  entangled  with  any 


132  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

question  of  worldly  policy,  or  of  popular  excitement, 
or  of  personal  or  party  conflict,  or  angry  controversy 
on  any  subject  whatever.  All  such  errors  tend  to 
weaken  public  confidence  in  the  religious  press,  and 
to  divert  its  patronage  into  other  channels.  It  is 
worse  than  useless  to  teach  religion  in  theory,  while 
its  teachers  contradict  their  own  principles  in  spirit 
and  practice  ;  as  the  conclusion  which  naturally  fol- 
lows is,  their  religion  makes  them  no  better  than  their 
neighbors.  The  common  sense  of  mankind  will 
estimate  the  real  value  of  every  system  and  every 
enterprise  by  its  practical  results.  If  a  press,  though 
professedly  religious,  kindle  the  fire  of  contention, 
raise  the  storm  of  angry  passion,  and  indicate, a  spirit 
of  malevolence,  it  will  be  justly  regarded  as  an  en- 
gine of  evil,  sowing  the  seeds  of  discord  and  perse- 
cution. Religion  would  be  far  better  off  without  any 
press  than  with  one  which  only  betrays  her  interests 
by  practically  renouncing  her  own  principles,  or  with 
any  number  of  presses  which  exhaust  their  energies 
by  combating  one  another.  What  folly  it  is  for  those 
who  are  professedly  aiming  to  accomplish  the  same 
great  and  good  object — the  conversion  of  the  world — 
to  turn  aside  from  their  high  and  holy  calling,  and 
wage  a  war  of  mutual  extermination  !  Every  con- 
sistent Christian  weeps  and  sighs  over  such  an 
exhibition  of  human  depravity. 

"  Let  the  religious  press  be  restricted  to  its  ap- 
propriate work,  and  it  will  find  ample  employment  for 
all  its  time,  strength,  and  resources,  without  assum- 
ing any  needless  responsibility.  The  main  design  of 
it  should  be  to  impart  a  knowledge  of  that  religion 


"the  press:'  133 

which  brings  *  glory  to  God  in  the  highest,  and  on 
earth  peace,  good  will  toward  men.'  And  whatever 
tends  to  the  accomplishment  of  this  result  should  be 
encouraged  by  it.  Here  an  almost  boundless  field 
of  useful  enterprise  opens  to  view.  It  embraces  the 
regular  Christian  ministry,  with  all  of  its  intense  in- 
terest, the  progress  of  revivals  under  the  ministration 
of  the  Gospel,  foreign  and  domestic  missions,  plans 
for  the  instruction  of  youth  and  childhood,  sancti- 
fied learning,  and  all  benevolent  associations  which 
have  for  their  aim  the  glory  of  God  and  the  happiness 
of  man.  All  of  these  interests  are.  to  be  noticed,  ex- 
plained, defended,  and  encouraged,  by  presenting  the 
truth  in  love  and  in  meekness  of  wisdom.  Surely, 
there  is  much  land  to  be  possessed  and  cultivated  by 
the  religious  press  before  the  peaceful  reign  of  Christ 
shall  be  universally  established  and  acknowledged.  Be- 
sides, this  press  is  expected  to  furnish  the  whole  world 
with  all  the  religious  reading  which  it  needs,  or  may 
need,  in  the  form  of  books,  duly  assorted,  distinguish- 
ing between  the  good  and  the  evil.  The  work  is  vast 
and  increasing,  both  in  extent  and  importance  ;  but 
the  means  for  its  accomplishment,  if  not  yet  abun- 
dant, are  at  least  accumulating.  The  gold  and  the 
silver  are  the  Lord's,  and  his  treasury  is  increasing. 
Presses  are  multiplying,  and  they  are  moving  under 
a  full  pressure  of  steam-power,  so  that  a  copy  of  the 
Bible  can  be  printed  in  a  minute  ;  and  missionary 
ships  are  bearing  off  the  Old  and  New  Covenants  to 
heathen  lands  by  the  ton.  Only  let  the  religious 
press  not  be  turned  aside  from  its  own  proper  work, 
and  it  will  prove  itself  an    invaluable  auxiliary  to  the 


134  l-IFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

Christian  ministry  in  subjugating  the  world  to  the 
\  obedience  of  Christ,'  and  raising  it  to  holiness, 
happiness,  and  heaven." 

On  the  1st  day  of  May,  1836,  General  Conference 
assembled  in  the  city  of  Cincinnati.  It  was  composed 
of  one  hundred  and  fifty-four  delegates,  representing 
twenty-two  annual  conferences.  The  delegation  from 
the  Ohio  Conference  was  a  large  and  able  one,  as  the 
following  well-known  names  will  show:  Thomas  A. 
Morris,  Jacob  Young,  David  Young,  William  H.  Ra- 
per,  Leroy  Svvormstedt,  John  Ferree,  James  B.  Fin- 
ley,  Win.  B.  Christie,  James  Quinn,  John  F.  Wright, 
Augustus  Eddy,  and  John  H.  Power. 

Bishops  Roberts,  Smile,  Hedding,  and  Andrew 
were  present,  and  the  first  named  opened  the  session 
in  the  usual  manner.  Two  of  the  bishops — M'Ken- 
dree  and  Emory — had  died  in  1835,  the  former  in  the 
seventy-eighth,  and  the  latter  in  the  forty-eighth  year 
of  his  age.  Bishop  M'Kendree  entered  the  ministry 
at  the  age  of  thirty,  labored  some  twenty-one  years 
before  his  election  to  the  episcopal  office,  in  which 
he  faithfully  and  efficiently  served  the  Church  almost 
twenty-seven  years.  Bishop  Emory  entered  the 
ministry  in  18 10,  and  was  elected  to  the  episcopal 
office  in  1832.  On  the  16th  of  December,  1835,  he 
was  thrown  from  his  carriage,  receiving  such  an  in- 
jury in  his  head  that  he  was  insensible  when  found, 
and  died  on  the  evening  of  the  same  day. 

Among  other  important  questions  presented  to 
this  Conference  was  the  propriety  of  dissolving  the 
Bible  Society  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 
A  separate  denominational  organization  of  this  kind 


CHANGE   OF  RULES.  135 

had  been  found  necessary  in  the  early  history  of  the 
Church,  and  although  it  had  answered  its  purpose 
for  a  season,  the  time  had  now  come  when,  in  the 
judgment  of  many,  both  in  and  out  of  the  Board  of 
Managers,  its  continuance  was  no  longer  necessary. 
After  careful  deliberation,  the  Conference  recom- 
mended a  dissolution  of  the  Society,  with  a  view  to 
unite  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  with  other 
evangelical  denominations  in  carrying  forward  the 
objects  of  the  American  Bible  Society.  The  harmo- 
nious co-operation  of  our  Church  with  that  great 
national  institution,  since  that  period,  abundantly 
vindicates  the  course  then  adopted. 

The  rule  respecting  "laying  aside"  persons  for 
not  meeting  in  class,  which  had  been  so  interpreted 
as  to  allow  the  acting  preacher  to  drop  the  delinquent 
without  a  trial,  was  so  amended  as  to  make  it  ob- 
ligatory on  the  parties  concerned  to  allow  the  accused 
to  be  heard  in  his  defense  before  a  committee,  the 
same  as  in  other  cases  of  delinquency. 

At  this  General  Conference  it  was  found  neces- 
sary so  to  amend  the  Constitution  of  the  Missionary 
Society,  as  to  provide  for  the  election  of  a  corre- 
sponding secretary,  who  should  employ  his  whole 
time  in  promoting  the  interests  of  that  important  and 
rapidly  increasing  department  of  the  Church.  Hith- 
erto the  correspondence  of  the  Society  had  been 
carried  on  by  the  brethren  connected  with  the  Book 
Concern  ;  but  the  increase  of  the  business,  both  of 
the  Concern  and  of  the  Society,  made  the  duties  of 
each  so  onerous  that  it  was  found  impossible  to 
unite  them  longer  without  injury  to  one  or  both. 


136  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS, 

The  Liberia  Mission  was  this  year  erected  into 
an  annual  conference,  "  possessing  ^all  the  rights, 
powers,  and  privileges  of  other  annual  conferences, 
except  that  of  sending  delegates  to  the  General  Con- 
ference, and  of  drawing  its  annual  dividend  from  the 
avails  of  the  Book  Concern  and  Chartered  Fund." 

Two  additional  weekly  papers  were  authorized, 
and  the  one  which  had  been  established  at  Cincin- 
nati by  the  Book  Agents,  on  the  recommendation  of 
several  annual  conferences,  was  sanctioned  and  con- 
tinued, making  in  all  four  religious  weekly  papers, 
besides  the  Methodist  Magazine  and  Quarterly  Re- 
view. In  addition  to  these,  however,  there  were  four 
others,  under  the  patronage  of  annual  conferences  ; 
namely,  Zioiis  Herald,  in  Boston  ;  Maine  Wesley  an 
Journal,  in  Portland  ;  Virginia  Conference  Journal, 
in  Richmond  ;  and  the  Auburn  Banner,  in  Auburn, 
New  York, — making  altogether  eight  weekly  papers 
devoted  to  the  interests  of  Methodism  in  the  United 
States. 

Among  the  important  questions  settled  by  this 
General  Conference  was  one  touching  the  right  of 
an  annual  conference  to  locate  one  of  its  members 
without  his  consent.  The  question  had  been  raised  at 
several  preceding  General  Conferences,  and,  although 
not  decisively  settled,  the  predominant  opinion  was 
that  no  such  power  existed.  A  rule  was  now  adopted 
giving  to  an  annual  conference  power  to  locate  one 
of  its  members  who  had  rendered  himself  "  unaccept- 
able as  a  traveling  preacher,"  in  their  judgment,  re- 
serving to  him,  however,  the  privilege  of  an  appeal  to 
the  next  General  Conference. 


ELECTION  OF  BISHOPS.  1 37 

The  Committee  on  Episcopacy  recommended  the 
election  of  three  additional  bishops,  which,  after 
some  debate,  was  concurred  in  by  the  Conference. 
The  election  took  place  on  the  23d  of  May.  Mr. 
Morris's  own  account  of  this  highly  important  epoch 
in  his  life  is  given  in  his  peculiar  style,  briefly  and 
pleasantly,  as  follows  : 

"  During  this  General  Conference  I  had  to  per- 
form the  double  duty  of  delegate  and  editor,  besides 
going  to  market  and  entertaining  my  guests.  But 
all  of  these  things  put  together  embarrassed  me  less 
than  one  other  trouble  which  my  friends  had  brought 
upon  me.  For  about  four  years  they  had  been 
threatening  me  occasionally  with  the  'Big  Circuit' — 
a  proposition  which  I  at  first  received  as  a  joke,  and 
joined  with  others  in  a  little  pleasantry  over  it. 
When,  however,  I  became  satisfied  that  they  were 
really  in  earnest,  I  begged  to  be  left  out  of  the  ques- 
tion, and  did  all  that  any  prudent  man  ought  to  do 
to  prevent  myself  from  being  nominated;  but  in  vain. 
When  I  saw  that  my  brethren  were  determined  to 
bring  me  forward  as  a  candidate,  I  consoled  myself 
with  the  thought  that  when  fairly  beaten,  as  I  was 
confident  of  being,  they  would  drop  the  matter  quietly, 
and  that  I  should  be  no  more  teased  on  the  subject. 
"Apart  from  the  fearful  responsibility  of  the  epis- 
copal office,  I  had  strong  private  and  personal  objec- 
tions to  filling  it — not  from  any  doubts  as  to  the 
Scriptural  authority  for  it,  or  of  its  fitness  and  utility 
in  our  Church  polity,  but  from  a  consciousness  of  my 
own  unfitness  for  the  place,  both  as  to  experience  and 

the    necessary   mental    culture.     I    also    felt    that    I 

12 


138  LIFE    OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

lacked  the  courage  to  meet  all  the  opposing  in- 
fluences and  obstacles  that  must  be  encountered  in 
the  faithful  discharge  of  the  duties  of  the  office. 

"  When  the  day  for  the  election  arrived,  I  was 
fully  satisfied  that  I  should  be  distanced  on  the  first 
balloting,  and  felt  comparatively  calm  ;  but  when  the 
result  was  announced,  Beverly  Waugh  and  Wilbur 
Fisk  were  elected,  and  I  lacked  but  one  vote  of  being 
in  company  with  them.  I  now  became  seriously 
alarmed,  and  requested  my  friends  to  withdraw  my 
name  from  the  canvass,  as  there  was  yet  one  more  to 
be  elected  ;  but  they  refused.  As  the  balloting  pro- 
ceeded, I  entreated  them  to  excuse  me  ;  but,  as  they 
still  persisted,  I  finally  arose  and  requested  the  Con- 
ference to  consider  my  name  withdrawn,  and  not 
vote  for  me  any  longer  ;  but  my  efforts  were  unavail- 
ing. On  the  fifth  ballot  I  again  came  within  one 
vote  of  an  election,  so  that  it  was  twice  in  my  power 
to  have  elected  myself;  but  from  first  to  last  I  voted 
for  other  candidates.  The  result  of  the  sixth  ballot- 
ing showed  that  I  had  the  requisite  number  of  votes, 
with  a  considerable  number  to  spare,  and  I  was  de- 
clared elected.  To  make  further  resistance,  I  feared, 
would  be  unsafe  and  imprudent,  and  I  submitted  to 
the  judgment  of  my  brethren." 

Dr.  Fisk  was  at  that  time  traveling  in  Europe, 
but  provision  was  made  for  his  consecration  as  soon 
as  practicable  after  his  return.  The  doctor,  however, 
felt  constrained  to  decline  the  office,  both  on  account 
of  his  obligations  to  the  Wesleyan  University,  of 
which  he  was  president,  and  his  failing  health,  which 
he   felt   to   be   unequal  to  the  labors  of  the  episcopal 


CONSECRA  TION.  1 39 

office.  Beverly  Waugh  and  Thomas  A.  Morris,  after 
an  appropriate  sermon  by  Bishop  Heckling,  on  the 
27th  of  May,  were  solemnly  consecrated  bishops  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  ;  and  on  the  same 
day  the  General  Conference  adjourned. 


140  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 


CHAPTER   VI. 

EPISCOPAL      LABORS — VISIT      AMONG     THE     SOUTHERN     CON- 
FERENCES. 

THERE  were  now  twenty-eight  annual  confer- 
ences and  six  •  bishops.  It  was  understood, 
however,  that  the  principal  labor  of  the  quadrennial 
period  commencing  with  the  close  of  the  General 
Conference  of  1836  would  devolve  upon  Bishops 
Soule,  Andrew,  Waugh,  and  Morris.  Their  col- 
leagues, Hedding  and  Roberts,  were  now  far 
advanced  in  years,  and  too  feeble  in  health  to  take 
their  full  share  of  episcopal  work.  In  view  of  his 
health,  Bishop  Roberts  had  tendered  his  resignation 
during  the  session  of  the  General  Conference  at  Cin- 
cinnati, but  that  body  declined  to  accept  it  ;  and  a 
resolution  was  passed  that  he  should  be  required  to 
do  no  more  service  than  he  might  find  consistent 
with  his  health  and  bodily  strength.  Afterward  a 
similar  resolution  was  passed  in  relation  to  Bishop 
Hedding. 

In  July  and  August,  Bishop  Morris  attended  the 
Pittsburg  Conference  at  Wheeling,  and  the  Erie 
Conference  at  Meadville,  Pennsylvania,  in  company 
with  Bishop  Soule.  His  own  work  for  that  year, 
according    to    the     episcopal     plan,     embraced     the 


ON  HORSEBACK.  141 

sessions  of  the  Tennessee,  Arkansas,  Mississippi, 
and  Alabama  Conferences  ;  and  early  in  Septem- 
ber he  started  from  his  home  in  Cincinnati  on  this 
extended  Southern  tour.  We  propose  to  let  the 
bishop  relate  the  story  of  this,  his  first  episcopal 
circuit,  himself.  We  quote  from  his  volume  entitled 
"  Miscellany  :" 

"  It  appeared  like  a  long,  fatiguing  journey  to 
perform  on  horseback,  and  alone  ;  but  there  were 
points  in  view  which  could  be  reached  by  no  other 
means  of  conveyance.  There  might  be  disease  and 
danger  in  the  course  ;  but  I  was  on  lawful  business, 
intimately  connected  with  the  welfare  of  redeemed 
sinners  ;  and  why  should  any  man  ever  fear  to  go 
where  duty  calls,  or  remain  till  it  is  done  ?  More- 
over, I  was  well  mounted  upon  Nick,  a  fine  pacing 
gray.  He  moved  as  if  on  elliptic  springs,  and  bore  me 
onward  with  a  strength  of  muscle  and  power  of  en- 
durance which  excited  my  admiration.  Far  removed, 
not  only  from  wife  and  children  and  friends,  but 
from  the  crowds  of  strangers  which  usually  throng 
the  public  lines  of  conveyance,  it  was  a  time  for  re- 
flection on  the  responsibilities  and  difficulties  of  my 
new  position,  and  not  wholly  unimproved.  Lonely 
reflection,  however,  was  soon  superseded  by  practical 
duties.  While  in  council  with  the  brethren  of  Ten- 
nessee Conference,  at  Columbia,  a  call  was  made  for 
volunteers  to  supply  the  wants  of  the  new  Conference 
just  set  off  in  the  State  of  Arkansas,  and  promptly 
responded  to  by  some  noble-hearted,  self-sacrificing 
young  ministers.  Three  of  them  were  ready  to 
bear  me  company  thither,  immediately  after  the  final 


142  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

adjournment.       Their  names  were    Randle,    Duncan, 
and  Simmons. 

"  Passing  down  through  the  Western  District  of 
Tennessee,  we  came  on  the  fresh  trail  of  fourteen 
thousand  Creek  Indians,  just  then  removing  from 
Alabama  to  their  new  home  in  the  far-off  West. 
At  one  of  their  camping-places,  then  vacated,  was 
seen  a  standing  hollow  tree,  out  of  the  side  of  which 
had  been  taken  a  slab,  by  cutting  above  and  below, 
and  splitting  it  off,  and  which  had  been  carefully  re- 
placed. A  citizen,  whose  neighbors  had  made  exam- 
ination, informed  us  that  in  the  hollow  of  that  tree 
was  a  deceased  Indian,  standing  erect,  with  his  gun, 
blanket,  and  hunting  costume,  as  he  appeared  when 
living.  We  subsequently  saw  several  of  these  de- 
positories of  the  dead.  As  a  matter  of  convenience, 
the  Indians  were  separated  into  companies  of  fifteen 
hundred,  and  a  sub-agent  assigned  to  each.  We 
came  up  with  the  rear  party  in  the  vicinity  of  Mem- 
phis, were  two  days  passing  their  extended  line  of 
companies,  and  slept  three  nights  in  sight  of  their 
camps.  No  nation  of  men  ever  exhibited  more  pow- 
erful muscles  than  were  developed  in  the  persons  of 
the  Creek  warriors.  Like  other  people,  they  bore  the 
marks  of  inequality.  Some  had  the  appearance  of 
abject  poverty.  Among  this  class,  the  men  rode  on 
ponies,  carrying  their  guns  and  camp-kettles,  while 
the  women  trudged  on  foot,  bearing  heavy  packs 
on  their  heads,  and  small  children  lashed  upon  their 
shoulders.  A  second  class  were  better  clad,  had  a 
better  outfit,  and  presented  more  appearances  of 
comfort.     The  third  class  probably  formed  the  nobility 


BEYOND    THE  MISSISSIPPI.  1 43 

of  the  nation,  were  gaudily  attired  in  silks  and 
jewelry,  and  exhibited  the  insignia  of  wealth  and 
office. 

"  After  crossing  the  '  Father  of  Waters  '  at  Mem- 
phis, we  immediately  entered  the  Mississippi  Swamp, 
which,  at  that  point,  was  forty-two  miles  across.  The 
track  was  so  worked  up  by  the  teams  and  pack- 
horses  that  we  found  it  more  pleasant  to  avoid  it 
when  practicable.  For  miles  together  our  horses 
waded,  but  generally  found  firm  bottom,  except  about 
the  sloughs,  where  many  tired  Indian  ponies  stuck 
fast,  and  were  left  to  perish  in  the  bog,  and  where  our 
noble  animals  had  to  struggle  hard  to  escape  the 
same  fate.  On  the  evening  of  the  second  day  we 
emerged  from  the  swamp,  and  crossed  the  St.  Francis 
River.  At  a  small,  green  bottom,  two  miles  beyond 
the  river,  two  companies  of  Creeks,  numbering 
some  three  thousand  in  all,  were  camped  for  the 
night.  We  took  lodging  at  a  country  tavern  on  the 
hill,  about  thirty  rods  from  them.  They  had  nearly 
as  many  ponies  as  people,  and  almost  every  pony 
wore  a  bell.  The  camp-axes  were  roaring;  dogs  and 
children  appeared  to  be  alike  abundant  and  alike 
noisy.  The  whole,  taken  together,  produced  a  sin- 
gular confusion  of  sounds,  and  presented  quite  a 
novel  spectacle. 

"  Next  morning,  about  day-break,  we  rode  out 
through  the  encampment,  in  a  north-east  direction, 
on  the  Batesville  road.  Having  cleared  the  great 
swamp  and  reached  an  undulating  surface,  we  con- 
gratulated ourselves  that  the  worst  of  the  journey 
was  behind.      For  some  twenty-five  miles,  our  course 


144  LIFE   0F  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

led  us  over  desolate  pine  and  oak  ridges,  which  nev- 
ertheless formed  an  agreeable  contrast  with  the 
sludge  from  which  we  had  escaped.  At  noon,  rain 
began  to  fall,  slowly  at  first,  but  steadily.  In  the 
afternoon  we  came  by  a  small  company  of  men  en- 
gaged in  raising  a  corn-crib  near  to  a  cabin,  which 
seemed  to  be  full,  and  presented  no  appearance  of 
comfort,  when  the  following  conversation  ensued: 

" '  How  far  is  it  to  the  next  house  ?' 

" '  Twenty-one  miles  ;  and  three  more  to  the 
tavern.' 

'"What  sort  of  a  road  is  it?' 

"'Not  very  good,  nor  bad  ;  just  middling.' 

"  '  Is  there  any  deep  water  to  cross  ?' 

" '  None  that  will  swim,  except  Bayou  de  View, 
sixteen  miles  from  here  ;  and  I  don't  reckon  that  will 
swim,  quite.' 

"  Then,  among  ourselves,  we  held  a  conference  on 
horseback,  the  rain  still  coming  down.  'It  is  two 
o'clock;  say  four  hours  till  daylight  will  be  entirely 
gone.  Can  we  reach  the  point  of  difficulty  before 
dark?'  'Yes,  I  think  we  can.'  'If  we  fail  to  get 
through,  we  shall  need  our  dinner  by  to-morrow.' 
'Well,  I  have  a  little  piece  of  corn-bread,'  said  one. 
'  And  I  have  part  of  a  sweet  potato,'  said  another. 
'That  is  as  good  fare  as  we  can  get  here,'  responded 
a  third.  It  was  suggested,  if  we  had  to  camp  out, 
there  was  no  means  of  striking  fire ;  but  perhaps 
other  campers  might  have  left  fire  on  the  way. 

"  The  case  was  finally  summed  up  thus :  '  Our 
time  in  which  to  reach  Conference  is  short ;  there  is 
no    use   staying   here   in    the    rain — come  on.'     And 


TN  THE  SI  VAMP.  1 45 

onward  we  went,  ignorant  of  what  was  before  us.  In  a 
few  minutes  our  road  disappeared  under  water.  What 
does  this  mean  ?  Why,  the  Black-river  Swamp.  '  They 
said  last  night  that  we  should  cross  it,  but  it  looks 
worse  than  we  expected.'  The  sludge  increased,  and 
the  horses  sank  more  and  more.  Presently,  while 
crossing  a  bad  place,  Nick,  better  acquainted  with 
turnpikes  than  swamps,  went  down  till  he  was  nearly 
buried  alive  in  quicksand  and  water.  After  a  long 
and  hard  struggle,  he  came  out,  and  brought  me 
with  him,  but  my  saddle-bags  were  left  behind  in  the 
mud.  Having  recovered  them,  we  resumed  the  jour- 
ney;  but  soon  reached  another  slough,  where,  to 
prevent  a  greater  evil,  I  dismounted,  drove  the  horse, 
and  followed  on  foot,  through  mud  and  water  to  the 
knees,  by  which  we  made  a  safe  crossing.  But  the 
thought  of  its  being  twenty  miles  to  the  next  house, 
wet  and  cold,  my  boots  full  of  water,  and  the  night 
approaching,  was  not  very  cheering.  It  was  about 
the  last  of  October.  The  climate  was  supposed  to 
be  unhealthy.  We  had  fairly  entered  a  dismal  swamp, 
thirty-two  miles  wide,  and,  in  consequence  of  heavy 
rains,  unusually  full  of  water.  Instead  of  traveling 
four  miles  an  hour,  as  we  had  expected,  our  horses 
were  unable  to  make  three.  The  beaten  track  was 
the  least  dangerous,  as  it  always  is  over  quicksand  ; 
but  for  miles  together  it  was  wholly  under  water,  va- 
rying in  depth  from  six  inches  to  three  feet,  and  the 
bottom  little  more  than  a  continuous  quagmire,  as 
deep  as  the  horses  could  struggle  through. 

"  While  daylight  lasted  we  could  follow  the  trace 
by  the  old  '  blazes  '  on  the  sides  of  the  trees  ;  but  night 

13 


I46  LIFE    OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

closed  in  upon  us  long  before  we  reached  the  main 
point  of  difficulty,  and  the  rain  still  increasing.  We 
lost  the  track,  our  feet  dragged  through  brush-wood, 
and  the  morass  shook  beneath  us  ;  but,  giving  the 
affrighted  horses  loose  reins,  they  returned  to  it. 
Again  we  took  the  wrong  direction,  and  went  plunging 
through  water  and  alder-bushes,  in  danger  every  mo- 
ment of  being  ingulfed  in  quicksand  ;  but,  after 
some  time,  we  found  our  road  once  more. 

"  A  conference  was  then  called  to  discuss  the 
question,  'Shall  we  give  it  up,  or  try  to  proceed?'  It 
was  a  solemn  conference  ;  and  though  darkness  and 
storm  prevailed  without,  order  and  peace  were  main- 
tained within.  The  sum  of  our  conversation  was 
briefly  this  :  To  stay  here  all  night,  wet,  cold,  and 
hungry,  without  shelter,  without  fire,  or  a  foot  of 
dry  ground  on  which  to  stand,  is  perilous  ;  to  proceed 
was  only  perilous  :  and  the  conclusion  was  to  try  it 
again.  After  losing  and  regaining  the  beaten  way 
a  third  time,  at  last  coming  to  a  bank  of  sand,  and 
then  a  rapid  descent  of  some  feet  to  a  sheet  of  deep 
water,  we  inferred  that  we  were  at  the  margin  of  the 
much-dreaded  Bayou  de  View.  The  direction  was, 
to  enter  near  a  large  tree,  bear  up  to  the  point  of  an 
island  ;  then,  forming  an  angle  downward,  steer  for  a 
projecting  log  on  the  opposite  shore.  But,  alas  !  un- 
der the  lofty  trees  and  lowering  clouds,  the  darkness 
was  such  that  we  could  not  see  the  animals  on  which 
we  rode  !  What  was  to  be  done  ?  To  encounter  the 
turbid  stream  at  random,  was  bordering  on  presump- 
tion ;  to  wait  for  daylight,  when  the  stream  was  rising, 
was  discouraging,  and  might  defeat  our  whole  enter- 


CROSShVG   THE  SWAMP  STREAM.  1 47 

prise.  As  it  was  a  case  in  which  life  might  be 
involved,  a  regular  vote  was  taken,  by  calling  the  roll, 
and  it  was  unanimous  in  favor  of  going  ahead.  It 
was  also  agreed  that  I  should  be  commander.  The 
line  was  promptly  formed,  as  follows  :  Brother  Ran- 
dle,  having  a  steady  horse,  and  being  a  light  rider, 
was  to  lead  off;  brother  Simmons  next;  the  writer 
third  ;  and  Brother  Duncan  was  to  bring  up  the  rear. 
It  was  further  ordered  to  keep  two  rods  apart,  so  that 
if  we  struck  a  swim,  every  man  might  have  sea-room, 
and  a  chance  for  life.  'All  ready?'  'Yes.'  'Pro- 
ceed, then,  and  cry  soundings/  '  Knee-deep  ;  up  to 
the  girth  ;  midsides  ;  steady  ;  over  the  withers,  but 
still  feel  bottom  ;  more  shallow  now ;  here  is  the 
point  of  the  island.' 

'"Very  well  ;  now  form  an  angle  to  the  left; 
down  stream  is  easy.'  The  latter  channel  was  no 
deeper  than  the  former,  and  all  made  a  safe  landing, 
thanks  to  kind  Providence  ! 

"Our  next  direction  was  to  leave  the  old  trace 
here,  turn  down  the  bayou  some  distance  without  any 
road,  so  as  to  intersect  a  new  way,  which  had  been 
recently  cut  out,  starting  from  a  point  lower  down. 
Between  the  ford  and  the  new  way  we  tore  through 
the  brushwood,  leaped  over  logs,  and  plunged  into 
sloughs,  at  the  risk  of  our  limbs,  but  finally  reached 
the  road,  when  our  horses  gladly  resumed  the  proper 
course.  It  was,  to  our  great  mortification,  soon 
ascertained  that  the  new  way  was  more  miry  than 
the  old.  As  we  could  see  nothing,  our  quadrupeds 
had  all  the  credit  for  keeping  the  road.  Presently 
brother    Randle's    horse    was    heard    plunging,    at    a 


I48  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

fearful  rate,  for  some  time,  when  he  announced  a 
very  dangerous  place — '  water  up  to  midsides,  and  the 
bottom  very  boggy/  Brother  Simmons  next  put  in, 
and  was  glad  when  he  got  out.  He  advised  me  to 
veer  to  the  left.  It  might  be  better,  and,  lie  thought, 
could  be  no  worse.  It  proved  to  be  unfortunate  ad- 
vice, as  it  threw  me  on  a  heap  of  logs  that  had  been 
rolled  in  to  fill  up  a  deep  and  dangerous  bog,  but 
which  were  then  all  afloat.  Nick  had  a  terrible 
scuffle  over  them.  Once  his  foot  hung  fast  ;  twice 
the  water  rolled  over  him,  and  the  rider  was  well-nigh 
unhorsed.  But  finally  he  righted,  and  brought  me 
out  unhurt.  Taking  a  position,  as  nearly  as  I  could 
guess,  opposite  to  where  the  others  crossed,  I  called 
to  brother  Duncan  to  steer  by  my  voice  and  put 
in.  He  came  near  sticking  fast,  but  received  no 
damage.  At  a  late  period  of  the  night,  while  groping 
amid  darkness  that  could  be  felt,  mingled  with 
incessant  showers,  we  were  suddenly  aroused  by  the 
joyful  note,  'A  light!  a  light!'  Approaching  as  near 
as  some  unseen  obstruction  allowed,  we  hailed.  An 
old  lady  came  to  the  door  and  demanded,  '  Who  is 
there  ?' 

"  '  Travelers." 

"  '  Ah  !  I  thought  my  sons  had  got  back  from 
bear-hunting.' 

"'•No,  madam,  we  are  strangers;  have  been  be- 
lated in  the  swamp,  and  wish  to  know  if  you  will 
shelter  us  the  balance  of  the  night.' 

"'Why,  la  me!  I  would  n't  turn  off  a  dog  such 
a  night  as  this.' 

"  Securing   the    horses    to   the   tree,    we  joyfully 


SWAMP   TRAVEL.  1 49 

entered  the  cabin  of  poles,  about  sixteen  feet  long, 
and  fourteen  wide.  The  chimney  was  unfinished. 
There  was  a  place  for  a  hearth,  but  it  was  not  filled 
up,  and  the  fire  was  down  ill  a  hole,  some  eighteen 
inches  below  the  puncheons.  Four  of  us,  with  our 
wet  baggage,  added  to  the  family,  and  two  other 
strangers  that  were  there  before  us,  scarcely  left  us 
room  to  turn  round.  At  midnight  we  made  a  com- 
fortable dinner  on  pork  and  corn-dodgers;  and,  having 
dried  off  a  little,  we  held  our  evening  prayers  at  two 
o'clock  in  the  morning,  and  quietly  laid  us  down  to 
sleep,  grateful  for  our  kind  reception.  About  day- 
light we  asked  the  old  lady  for  our  bill,  which  was 
two  dollars.  When  we  inquired  if  she  meant  two 
dollars  each,  she  said  :  '  La  me  !  I  should  be  rich  if 
I  had  that  much.     I  mean  two  dollars  for  all  four.' 

"  Having  completed  our  preparations,  we  resumed 
the  swamp;  but  the  limbs  of  our  animals  were  so 
lacerated  by  maple-roots  and  cypress-knees  that 
they  took  it  very  reluctantly.  We  reached  the  Cash- 
river  Tavern,  with  hard  toiling,  in  an  hour  and  a  half, 
the  distance  being  three  miles,  where  the  landlady, 
in  the  absence  of  her  husband,  first  served  us  with 
breakfast,  and  then  ferried  us  over  the  river.  When 
the  boat  had  crossed  the  rapid  channel,  she  grounded 
on  the  bank,  which  was  entirely  inundated  ;  so  that 
we  had  no  alternative  but  to  mount  in  the  boat, 
and  leap  over  the  bow  into  the  water.  Eight  miles 
more  of  wading  and  plunging,  which  consumed  just 
four  hours,  brought  us  out  of  the  Black-river  Swamp 
at  Litchfield,  thankful  that  we  were  alive. 

"After    reaching     solid     ground,    and    obtaining 


150  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

lodgings,  our  first  concern  was  to  unpack  our  clothes, 
books,  and  papers,  and  dry  them.  This  done,  we 
preached,  exhorted,  and  held  prayer-meeting  in  the 
village  of  Litchfield,  where  the  inhabitants  received 
us  kindly,  and  requested  regular  preaching,  which  was 
of  course  provided  for  them.  Our  little  party  felt  to- 
ward each  other  like  a  band  of  patriot  soldiers,  who 
had  endured  a  hard  and  hazardous  campaign  together, 
and  we  distributed  among  ourselves  small  presents, 
as  mementos  of  our  providential  deliverance  and 
mutual  regard." 

From  this  point  the  journey  to  Batesville  was 
made  with  comparative  ease  and  comfort,  and  the 
first  session  of  the  Arkansas  Conference  was  held, 
November  2d,  1836,  in  the  grand-jury  room  of  the 
court-house.  The  secretary  of  the  Conference,  Rev. 
Wm.  P.  RatclifT,  in  a  communication  to  the  Western 
Christian  Advocate,  under  date  of  November  8th,  says  : 
"  Bishop  Morris  was  with  us  in  good  health,  and 
manifested  much  interest  in  our  infant  Conference." 

From  Batesville,  Bishop  Morris  continued  his 
episcopal  tour,  traveling  on  horseback  to  the  mouth 
of  White  River,  and  thence  by  steamboat  to  Vicks- 
burg,  where  he  held  the  Mississippi  Conference,  on 
the  7th  of  December.  From  Vicksburg  he  proceeded 
to  Mobile  via  New  Orleans,  and  presided  over  the 
Alabama  Conference,  January  4,  1837.  Returning 
to  New  Orleans,  he  made  a  short  trip  to  Catchoula 
Parish,  in  the  western  part  of  Louisana,  to  visit  his 
brother  Levi,  where  he  preached  several  times  to  the 
"  squatters,"  held  a  class-meeting,  appointed  a  leader, 
and    had    a   preacher    sent    to  them  the    next   year. 


AMONG    THE   CONFERENCES.  I  5  I 

After  a  few  days  of  rest  and  social  enjoyment  in  the 
family  of  his  brother,  he  proceeded  homeward, 
reaching  Cincinnati  March  16,   1837. 

During  the  Spring  and  Summer,  Bishop  Morris 
made  many  preaching  excursions  into  Kentucky  and 
Indiana,  traveling  for  this  purpose,  wholly  on  horse- 
back, not  less  than  a  thousand  miles.  In  forming  an 
estimate  of  this  extra  labor,  we  must  never  lose  sight 
of  the  toilsome  mode  of  travel  which  was.  almost  the 
only  alternative  of  the  itinerant  of  that  day.  The 
weariness  and  exposure  of  a  long  journey  on  horse- 
back, along  rough  and  miry  roads,  can  hardly  be 
realized  by  the  ministers  of  the  present  generation, 
accustomed  as  they  are  to  the  easy,  pleasant,  and 
rapid  transportation  of  the  steamboat  and  railway. 

In  the  Fall,  Bishop  Morris  again  left  home  to  re- 
sume his  episcopal  labors.  He  held  the  Holston 
Conference,  at  Madisonville,  Tennessee,  October  18th  ; 
the  Georgia,  at  Athens,  December  12th  ;  the  South 
Carolina,  at  Columbia,  January  10,  1838  ;  the  North 
Carolina,  at  Guilford  C.  H.,  January  31st;  the  Vir- 
ginia, at  Richmond,  February  21st ;  the  Baltimore,  in 
the  city  of  Baltimore,  March  14th  ;  reaching  home 
toward  the  close  of  the  same  month. 

This  year  was  one  of  marked  prosperity  in  the 
history  of  Methodism.*  Several  of  the  conferences 
reported  very  large  accessions.  Among  them,  the 
Illinois  had  reported  an  increase  of  three  thousand 
three  hundred  and  sixteen  ;  the  Indiana,  three  thou- 
sand one  hundred  and  thirty-eight;  the  Philadelphia, 
three   thousand   and  forty-two  ;   the  New  York,  two 

♦Clark's  "Life  and  Times  of  Hedding,"  page  464. 


152 


LIFE  OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 


thousand  six  hundred  and  thirty-six  ;  the  Tennessee, 
two  thousand  eight  hundred  and  forty-three  ;  the 
Maine,  two  thousand  five  hundred  and  eighty-nine  ; 
the  Troy,  two  thousand  one  hundred  and  thirty-two  ; 
the  Erie,  two  thousand  three  hundred  and  thirty- 
nine  ;  the  Oneida,  two  thousand  four  hundred  and 
ninety-two  ;  and  the  Genesee,  two  thousand  seven 
hundred  and  ninety-six.  The  total  increase  of  mem- 
bers for  the  year,  including  local  preachers,  was 
forty-three  thousand  two  hundred  and  seventy-five. 

Remaining  at  home  until  the  middle  of  May, 
Bishop  Morris  set  out  to  perform  his  first  tour  of 
episcopal  labor  among  the  Eastern  conferences.  He 
first  visited  the  New  York  Conference,  held  in  the 
city  of  New  York,  where  a  meeting  of  the  bishops  took 
place  by  previous  appointment.  Among  other  items 
of  business,  they  warmly  approved  the  idea,  which 
had  originated  in  the  West,  of  publishing  a  Meth- 
odist paper  in  the  German  language ;  and  recom- 
mended the  Agents  at  Cincinnati  to  commence  its 
publication  whenever  they  could  do  so  without  loss 
to  the  Book  Concern. 

Bishop  Morris  presided  over  the  Troy  Conference, 
at  Keysville,  June  6th  ;  the  New  Hampshire,  at  Dan- 
ville, Vermont,  July  4th;  the  Black-river,  at  Fulton, 
New  York,  August  8th  ;  the  Oneida,  at  Ithica,  Au- 
gust 29th  ;  the  Genesee,  at  Elmyra,  September  19th  ; 
reaching  home  in  October.  On  the  17th  of  that 
month  he  attended  the  Kentucky  Conference  at  Dan- 
ville, over  which  Bishop  Waugh  presided.  On  his 
journey  home  from  this  Conference,  Bishop  Morris 
passed    a    night  at  a  public    house   in    Nicholasville, 


THREATS  OF  VIOLENCE.  153 

where  his  trunk  was  cut  to  pieces  and  plundered  by 
a  thief,  who  was  evidently  in  search  of  the  trunk  of 
Rev.  L.  Swormstedt,  the  Book  Agent,  and  which  con- 
tained a  large  amount  of  money.  Mr.  Swormstedt, 
however,  had  taken  the  precaution  to  have  his  luggage 
removed  to  his  room,  and  thus  avoided  a  very  heavy 
loss.  The  thief,  beyond  a  large  amount  of  clothing 
obtained  from  the  trunks  of  Bishop  Morris  and  sev- 
eral other  travelers,  got  nothing  to  compensate  him 
for  the  six-years'  confinement  in  the  penitentiary, 
which  was  the  penalty  he  paid  for  his  villainy.  After 
spending  a  few  days  at  home,  Bishop  Morris  started, 
in  November,  as  a  substitute  for  Bishop  Roberts,  who 
was  unable  to  do  full  work,  to  hold  the  Mississippi 
Conference,  at  Grenada,  on  the  5th  of  December,  and 
the  Alabama  Conference,  at  Montgomery,  on  the  2d 
of  January,  1839. 

During  this  trip  South,  which  was  made  chiefly 
by  stage-coach,  the  bishop  was  subjected  to  many 
annoyances  from  the  prevailing  hostility  of  the  baser 
sort  of  people  in  that  region  to  all  who  hailed  from 
the  North,  and  who  were,  on  that  ground,  denounced 
as  "  Northern  Abolitionists."  At  a  point  between 
Holly  Springs  and  Grenada,  the  stage  passengers  go- 
ing south  and  those  going  north  met  at  a  country 
tavern,  and  "laid  over"  part  of  the  night.  It  soon 
became  known  among  the  travelers  from  the  south 
that  a  Methodist  bishop  was  among  the  passengers 
of  the  other  coach,  and  thereupon,  as  by  common 
consent,  they  began  a  series  of  petty  persecutions 
and  insulting  remarks.  As  the  bishop  paid  no  atten- 
tion   to   their   infamous  conduct,   they   became   more 


154  LIFE   0F  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

wrathful,  denouncing  him  to  his  face  as  a  "  Northern 
Abolitionist,"  and  threatening,  in  the  most  violent 
manner,  to  drag  him  out  of  the  tavern  and  hang  him 
up  without  judge  or  jury.  Some  insisted  that  it 
ought  to  be  done  at  once  ;  others  declared  that  hang- 
ing would  be  too  good  for  him,  and  that  he  ought 
rather  to  be  drawn  up  to  the  top  of  a  black-jack  tree, 
and  then  dropped  down  through  its  craggy  limbs,  and 
thus  "raked  to  pieces."  The  bishop's  traveling  com- 
panions had  all  retired,  the  landlord  and  his  family 
were  in  another  part  of  the  house,  and  it  was  about 
ten  o'clock.  No  one  was  in  the  public-room  but  the 
bishop  and  his  assailants  ;  the  former  having  stepped 
in  to  see  that  his  baggage  was  properly  cared  for. 
He  calmly  and  silently  maintained  his  position  in 
the  room  until  the  ruffians  had  exhausted  their  spleen 
in  words  of  fury  and  threats  of  murder,  and  then 
quietly  retired,  treating  the  whole  with  perfect  indif- 
ference. On  his  relating  the  affair  afterward  to  Dr. 
Winans,  that  gentleman  remarked:  "  You  were  in  far 
greater  danger  of  personal  violence  than  you  seem 
to  have  supposed.  These  Mississippi  desperadoes 
have  quite  recently  murdered  several  innocent  and 
unoffending  strangers,  on  the  mere  suspicion  that 
they  were  '  Northern  Abolitionists,'  without  waiting 
for  any  proof  whatever." 

At  the  close  of  the  Mississippi  Conference,,  at 
Grenada,  Bishop  Morris  went  to  Vicksburg,  and  took 
a  steamer  for  New  Orleans,  the  captain'having  prom- 
ised positively  to  land  him  in  that  city  on  Saturday. 
When  the  bishop,  with  his  traveling  companions — his 
own  son  and  Rev.  John  F.Wright — entered  the  boat, 


ON  STEAMBOAT.  1 55 

on  Thursday,  they  found  a  very  large  proportion  of 
the  passengers  engaged  in  card-playing — a  custom 
very  general  on  Mississippi  steamboats  in  that  day. 
This  was  sufficiently  annoying  ;  but,  to  add  to  their 
grievances,  Sabbath  came  on,  and  they  were  still 
steaming  down  the  river.  After  breakfast,  some  of 
the  gamblers  waited  on  Bishop  Morris  with  a  request 
that  he  would  preach  a  sermon  to  the  passengers. 
He  replied  that  preaching  was  his  calling;  and  that, 
under  all  proper  circumstances,  he  was  very  willing 
to  preach  ;  but  that  self-respect  would  not  allow  him 
to  do  so  then  and  there.  "  You  have,"  said  he,  "  by 
your  gambling,  drunkenness,  and  profanity,  in  my 
presence,  for  days  together,  when  I  could  not  help 
myself,  given  ample  proof  that  you  are  wholly  desti- 
tute of  respect  for  my  religion  and  my  profession 
as  a  minister  ;  and  now,  having  become  weary  of  one 
kind  of  amusement,  you  seek  another  at  my  expense. 
I  can  not  gratify  you."  Being  disappointed,  and 
probably  a  little  mortified  by  this  unexpected  rebuke, 
they  went  away,  and  sent  the  captain  with  the  same 
request,  to  whom  the  bishop  made  substantially  the 
same  reply,  adding  a  severe  reprimand  of  the  pro- 
fanity of  which  not  only  most  of  the  passengers,  but 
the  officers  of  the  boat,  including  the  captain,  had 
been  repeatedly  guilty  in  his  presence.  After  that, 
the  bishop  did  not  see  a  card  or  hear  an  oath  while 
he  remained  on  the  boat. 

Arrived  at  length  in  New  Orleans,  the  bishop  im- 
mediately took  boat  for  Mobile,  Alabama,  and  had  a 
safe,  quick,  and  (save  sea-sickness)  pleasant  passage. 
Passing  up  the  Alabama  River  to  Montgomery,  the 


I56  LIFE   OF  BISHOP   MORRIS. 

seat  of  the  Conference,  he  again  fell  in  with  very  dis- 
agreeable company.  The  river  was  low,  the  boat  was 
small,  and  the  crowd  was  extremely  disorderly.  Most 
of  the  passengers  seemed  to  be  on  a  "  Christmas 
spree,"  and  drinking,  swearing,  and  gambling  were 
the  order  of  the  day.  Noticing  finally  that  Bishop 
Morris  avoided  them,  and  that  he  could  not  be  drawn 
into  conversation  with  them,  one  of  the  party  made 
an  insulting  remark  to  him  ;  but  he  held  his  peace. 
One  of  the  company  then  suggested  to  another,  in  a 
voice  loud  enough  to  be  heard  by  all,  that  no  fleshy 
man  could  be  intelligent,  because  he  would  be  too 
lazy  to  be  studious.  This  remark  was  assented  to, 
with  an  oath,  by  the  party  addressed,  and  a  general 
laugh  followed.  "Yes,"  said  the  first,  "and  we  have 
a  perfect  example  of  the  truth  of  my  assertion  on 
this  boat,"  at  the  same  time  looking  toward  the 
bishop.  Disagreeable  as  was  the  necessity,  Bishop 
Morris  was  compelled  to  spend  four  days  on  this  little 
water-craft  in  such  company,  in  order  to  reach  his 
Conference  at  the  appointed  time. 

Apropos  to  the  talk  above  recorded  concerning  fat 
men,  we  rnay  here  appropriately  insert  a  brief  article 
contributed  to  the  Western  CJiristian  Advocate,  in 
August,  1855,  by  the  bishop,  entitled, 

"LEAN    vs.    FAT." 

"It  is  often  said,  'Little  men  are  generally 
sprightly,'  and  it  is  occasionally  hinted  that  some  of 
them  are  inclined  to  be  'saucy,'  too.  This  train  of 
thought  was  incidentally  scared  up  by  reading  an 
editorial    in    the    August    number    of    the    National 


LEAN  OR  FAT.  1 57 

Magazine,  on  the  lamented  George  G.  Cookman, 
whose  praise  is  deservedly  in  all  the  Churches,  and 
whose  reputation  does  not  need  for  its  defense  de- 
traction from  the  good  name  of  others.  In  that  arti- 
cle the  editor,  who  is  himself,  physically,  a  mere 
pocket  edition  of  humanity,  holds  forth  in  this  wise  : 

"'  Corpulency  aggrandizes  the  body,  but  libels  the 
soul.  A  gross,  visible,  self-obtruded  libel  is  it  amid 
the  activities  of  this  age,  except  where  hereditary  ; 
albeit  reverend  dullness  and  dozy  dignity  often  wrap 
themselves  in  its  soft  integuments.  Good-nature  goes 
with  it  sometimes  ;  yes,  and  so  it  does  with  stupidity 
in  general.'     (Page  98.) 

"  Now,  if  it  be  admitted  that  the  above  extract  ex- 
presses the  true  philosophy  of  man,  we  may  well  ex- 
claim, Alas  for  Methodism  !  that  it  should  ever  have 
been  afflicted  with  such  stupid  drones  as  Thomas 
Coke,  Adam  Clarke,  William  M'Kendree,  Enoch 
George,  Robert  R.  Roberts,  Elijah  Hedding,  and  a 
host  of  others  like  them.  These  massive  figures, 
with  all  their  'reverend  dullness  and  dozy  dignity/ 
must  have  compared  but  indifferently  with  the  meagre 
dyspeptics  of  their  times,  and  especially  among 
dwarfish  hypochondriacs.  Moreover,  if  such  com- 
pliments be  awarded  to  the  sainted  dead,  what  may 
not  be  expected  for  the  living  ?  Let  such  as  have  a 
good  conscience,  a  good  appetite,  and  plenty  to  eat, 
look  out  for  proscription  ;  for  in  the  light  of  the  Na- 
tional, if  I  can  understand  it,  to  enjoy  the  flush  of 
health,  so  as  to  'aggrandize  the  body,'  is  at  best  to 
be  a  good-natured  fool. 

"  Of  course,  the  prospect  for  myself  is  not  flattering. 


158  LIFE    OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

Considering  how  much  of  the  'obese  accumulation'  I 
have  to  cany  about  me — an  element,  too,  so  obnox- 
ious to  the  National — I  can  scarcely  hope  that,  after 
the  next  editorial  volley,  there  will  be  a  grease-spot 
of  me  left,  unless  I  reform,  learn  to  drink  hot-water 
tea,  eat  bread  made  of  bran  and  saw-dust,  half  and 
half,  and  deplete  fifty  per  cent.  Let  me  calculate — 
yes,  fifty  per  cent.  That  would  reduce  me  to  one 
hundred  and  twelve  pounds  ;  so  near  the  bulk  and 
weight  of  the  learned  editor  himself,  that  possibly  I 
might  recover  my  forfeited  caste. 

"At  any  rate,  if  this  new  philosophy  had  dawned 
on  our  benighted  world  forty  years  ago,  there  would 
have  been  a  chance  for  me  to  make  some  show  of 
activity  ;  but  now  I  am  doomed  to  the  forlorn  hope. 
I  seriously  apprehend  that  I  am  too  old  to  adopt  new 
habits  of  living,  and  conform  to  the  new  philosophy, 
so  as  to  throw  off  the  surplus  'accumulations,'  and 
reform  my  'reverend  dullness.'  Besides,  I  have  some 
lingering  scruples  as  to  the  propriety  of  dissenting 
from  the  Bible,  which  says,  'All  they  that  be  fat 
upon  earth  shall  eat  and  worship.'  (Psalm  xxii,  29.) 
And  now,  after  this  spirited  effort  of  the  National  to 
rouse  the  fathers  in  Zion  from  their  '  dozy  dignity,' 
and  induce  them  to  resume  their  youthful  'activities,' 
who  can  any  longer  doubt  that  we  live  in  an  age  of 
progress  ?  I  do  not.  But  whether  we  are  progress- 
ing upward  or  downward,  forward  or  backward,  is 
another  question,  and  one  I  leave  each  reader  to 
decide  for  himself." 

At  the  close  of  the  Alabama  Conference,  Bishop 
Morris  took  stage  for  Tuscaloosa,  riding  from  Thurs- 


ILLNESS  OF  MRS.    MORRIS.  I  59 

day  morning,  before  sunrise,  until  a  late  hour 
Saturday  night,  without  stopping,  save  a  few  minutes 
for  meals  and  changing  teams.  The  stage  was 
crowded  with  passengers,  mostly  merchants  and 
other  leading  citizens  of  Montgomery;  but  their 
conversation,  for  the  most  part,  was  so  vile  that  it 
was  exceedingly  painful  to  be  compelled  to  hear  it. 
The  Sabbath  was  spent  pleasantly  in  Tuscaloosa. 
On  Monday  morning,  at  two  o'clock,  the  bishop  again 
seated  himself  in  the  coach,  and  was  off  for  Nash- 
ville, a  journey  of  four  days'  hard  travel.  Before 
reaching  Nashville,  the  stage  capsized  ;  but  no  one 
was  seriously  injured,  though  Bishop  Morris  received 
a  sprain  in  one  arm  from  which  he  did  not  wholly 
recover  for  many  weeks.  Resting  in  Nashville  until 
Monday,  he  obtained  passage  home  by  steamboat, 
and  was  landed  in  Cincinnati  January  28,  1839,  after 
one  of  the  most  disagreeable  trips  of  his  itinerant  life. 
In  February,  Mrs.  Morris  was  attacked  with 
spinal  disease  of  a  very  violent  character,  producing 
contortion  of  the  face,  from  paralysis  of  the  muscles 
on  one  side,  and  attended  with  severe  pain.  The 
bishop  remained  in  her  room  almost  constantly,  day 
and  night,  until  in  July,  when  confinement,  anxiety, 
and  loss  of  sleep  had  so  seriously  affected  his  nervous 
system  that  he  was  compelled  to  relax  his  efforts,  and 
commit  her  chiefly  to  the  care  of  her  nurse.  She 
was,  however,  at  that  time,  in  a  hopefully  convalescent 
state,  and  was  soon  able  to  travel  ;  when,  by  the 
advice  of  his  physician,  the  bishop  took  her  on  a 
journey,  by  short  stages,  in  a  private  conveyance, 
which  proved  highly  beneficial  to  her  health. 


l6o  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

September  nth,  Bishop  Morris  presided  over  the 
Missouri  Conference,  at  Fulton  ;  thence  to  the  Illinois 
Conference,  at  Bloomington,  October  2d  ;  thence  to 
the  Indiana  Conference,  at  Lawrenceburg,  October 
23d,  reaching  home  about  the  last  of  that  month. 

Very  soon,  however,  it  was  found  necessary  fur 
him  to  leave  home  again  as  a  substitute  for  Bishop 
Roberts,  who  was  still  unable  to  perform  active 
service.  His  route  this  time  made  it  necessary  to 
travel  from  Cincinnati  to  Augusta,  Georgia,  on  horse- 
back. After  presiding  over  the  Georgia  Conference, 
which  met  in  Augusta,  December  10th,  he  proceeded 
in  a  "  sulky"  to  Charleston,  where  the  South  Caro- 
lina Conference  met,  January  8,  1840.  Finding  his 
mode  of  travel  inconvenient  and  embarrassing,  he 
sold  his  horse  and  sulky  in  Charleston,  and  traveled 
by  steamer  to  Wilmington,  North  Carolina,  and  thence 
by  stage  to  Newbern,  where  the  North  Carolina 
Conference  assembled,  January  29th.  From  New- 
bern, he  proceeded  by  steamboat  and  railroad  to 
Portsmouth,  Virginia  ;  expecting  to  connect  at  that 
point  with  the  steam-packet  for  Baltimore.  But  the 
expected  packet  failed  to  make  the  connection  ;  and 
after  waiting  for  its  arrival  several  days  in  vain,  it 
was  finally  determined  to  charter  a  small  craft,  a 
sort  of  a  jobbing-boat,  which  was  found  lying  idle  at 
the  wharf.  Bishop  Morris,  and  a  few  fellow-passengers 
as  anxious  as  himself  to  get  on,  agreed  to  pay  the 
captain  of  this  vessel  $600  if  he  would  stipulate  to 
carry  them  to  Baltimore;  they  reserving  to  themselves 
the  right  of  taking  such  other  passengers  as  they 
could  get,  in  order  to  reduce  the    expense  as  much 


PERILOUS   VOYAGE.  l6l 

as  possible.  The  contract  was  made.  Sixty-five 
persons  took  passage  in  the  boat,  early  one  morn- 
ing, with  the  assurance  of  the  captain  that  they 
should  be  landed  safely  in  Baltimore  the  next  morn- 
ing. Soon  the  light  craft  was  rolling  like  an  egg- 
shell. The  passengers  now  discovered,  what  had 
before  escaped  their  notice,  that  their  boat  had  neither 
ballast  nor  freight,  and  that  in  the  comparatively 
smooth  water  of  the  narrow  channel,  she  was  shipping 
water  alternately  on  both  guards.  What,  then,  might 
be  expected  in  a  gale  on  the  Chesapeake  Bay  ?  The 
passengers  saw  and  felt  the  danger,  and  some  went 
ashore  at  Hampton,  and  others  at  Old  Point,  leaving 
thirty-five  to  go  through  and  pay  the  bill. 

A  dense  fog  prevailed  during  almost  the  entire 
trip  ;  and  for  two  nights  and  a  day  no  one  on  board 
could  tell  where  the  boat  was,  or  in  what  direction 
it  was  going.  Frequently  they  were  fast  on  sand- 
banks, and  twice  without  fuel,  though  fortunately,  in 
both  instances,  a  supply  was  soon  obtained — once  from 
a  schooner,  and  once  from  the  land.  Finally,  when 
the  fog  blew  away  on  the  third  morning,  they 
found  themselves  going  southward  along  the  eastern 
shore,  exactly  in  the  wrong  direction.  At  last,  after 
much  difficulty  in  overcoming  the  floating  ice  in  the 
bay  above  Annapolis,  they  reached  a  point  twelve 
miles  distant  from  Baltimore,  where  the  ice  was  so 
heavy  as  to  render  navigation  very  hazardous  ;  and, 
to  add  to  the  general  discomfort  of  the  situation,  the 
fuel  gave  out  again.  About  dark,  however,  an  ice- 
boat came  along,  and  took  off  the  passengers,  and  at 
midnight  landed  them  in  Baltimore. 

l4 


1 62  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

u  Never  before,"  says  the  bishop,  "  was  I  so  glad 
to  feel  the  solid  ground  beneath  me.  Next  morning 
I  paid  eighteen  dollars  for  a  seat  in  the  mail-line  to 
Wheeling.  We  were  sent  by  rail  to  Frederick.  The 
body  of  the  coach  which  we  took  there,  was  full  of  mail- 
bags  ;  but  a  box  for  three  passengers,  was  constructed 
before  the  mail,  which  we  entered  by  climbing  over 
the  fore-wheels  ;  when  once'  in  that  scuttle,  it  was 
like  being  confined  in  a  dungeon.  There  I  found 
myself  packed  in  with  two  rowdies  carrying  a  brandy- 
bottle,  who  were  constantly  drunk,  and  either  singing 
vulgar  songs,  or  engaged  in  obscene  conversation, 
while  the  stench  of  their  putrid  breath  was  at  once 
disgusting  and  sickening  ;  so  that  I  was  almost  as 
glad  to  exchange  my  prison  for  a  boat  at  Wheeling, 
as  I  had  been  to  go  ashore  at  Baltimore."  From 
Wheeling  the  trip  home  was  a  quick  and  pleasant 
one,  and  toward  the  end  of  February  the  bishop 
found  himself  safely  domiciled  again  by  his  own  fire- 
side in  Cincinnati. 


GENERAL  CONFERENCE,  1840.  163 


CHAPTER  VII. 

GENERAL  CONFERENCE  OF    1840 VOLUME  OF  SERMONS  PUB- 
LISHED— EPISCOPAL    TOURS. 

THE  General  Conference  of  1840  assembled  in 
the  city  of  Baltimore,  May  1st,  and  was  opened 
by  Bishop  Roberts.  It  was  composed  of  one  hun- 
dred and  forty-three  delegates,  representing  twenty- 
eight  annual  conferences.  The  statistical  exhibit  of 
the  preceding  year  was  as  follows  :  White  members, 
650,357;  colored  members,  87,197;  Indians,  2,249; 
local  preachers,  5,856;  traveling  preachers,  3.557; 
total  membership,  749,216.  The  Rev.  Robert  New- 
ton was  present  as  a  representative  from  the  Wes- 
leyan  Methodist  Conference,  and  Rev.  Joseph  Stinson 
as  a  representative  from  the  Canada  Conference. 

Owing  to  the  illness  of  Bishop  Soule,  in  conse- 
quence of  which  he  was  unable  to  be  in  attendance 
at  the  opening  of  the  session,  the  Address  of  the 
Bishops  was  delayed  about  a  week.  Bishop  Clark, 
in  his  "  Life  and  Times  of  Hedding,"  says  of  this 
address :  "It  is  a  document  of  great  length,  very 
diffuse  and  circumlocutory,  especially  some  portions 
of  it  ;  but  it  touches  upon  all  the  varied  general  in- 
terests of  the  Church,  and  especially  the  agitations 
that  had  existed,  and  the  new  questions  that  had  been 


1 64  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

mooted,  relating  to  the  prerogatives  of  bishops, 
presiding  elders,  etc." 

One  of  the  most  important  questions  of  adminis- 
tration in  the  preceding  quadrennium,  and  out  of  which 
had  grown  much  discussion  and  no  little  ill-feeling, 
was  in  respect  to  the  power  of  the  bishops  to  decide 
points  of  law,  and  to  refuse  to  put  questions  to  vote 
which,  in  their  judgment,  involved  an  infraction  of 
the  Constitution  of  the  Church.  This  question  was 
considered  at  great  length  in  the  Episcopal  Address, 
and  the  matter  referred  to  a  Committee.  The  follow- 
ing, which  was  adopted  by  the  Conference,  was  the 
final  report  of  the  Committee:  "  I.  That  it  is  the 
province  of  the  bishop  to  decide  all  questions  of  law 
in  an  annual  conference,  subject  to  an  appeal  to  the 
General  Conference  ;  but  in  all  cases  the  application 
of  law  is  with  the  conference.  2.  That  it  belongs  to 
the  president  of  a  quarterly-meeting  to  decide  all 
questions  of  law  in  the  quarterly-meeting  confer- 
ence, subject  to  an  appeal  to  the  president  of  the  next 
annual  conference  ;  but  in  all  cases  the  application 
of  the  law  shall  be  with  the  conference." 

The  Conference  also  decided  that  the  president 
of  an  annual  or  a  quarterly-meeting  conference  had 
a  right  to  decline  putting  a  motion  to  vote  if  he  con- 
sidered it  foreign  to  the  proper  business  of  a  confer- 
ince,  or  inconsistent  with  constitutional  provisions  ; 
and  also  to  adjourn  a  conference  without  a  formal 
vote. 

The  questions  of  Slavery  and  Abolitionism  were 
discussed,  with  the  usual  display  of  feeling  on  both 
sides ;  but  no  important  action  was  taken  on  either 


CONTEMPLATED  RESIGNATION.  1 65 

subject.  The  time  of  the  Conference  was  mainly  oc- 
cupied with  the  consideration  of  a  variety  of  impor- 
tant interests,  embracing  Sunday-schools,  Missions, 
Bible  Distribution,  Colonization,  Temperance,  Admin- 
istration of  Discipline,  and  other  questions  of  minor 
importance. 

"I  went  to  that  Conference,"  says  Bishop  Morris, 
"  intending  to  resign  my  office,  and  submitted  to  my 
colleagues,  and  a  few  other  intimate  friends,  a  paper 
which  I  had  drawn  up  in  view  of  that  determination." 
We  find  on  the  back  of  this  paper  the  following  in- 
dorsement : 

"Baltimore,  June  5,  1840. — By  the  advice  of 
the  bishops,  and  a  few  other  brethren,  this  paper 
was  withheld  from  the  General  Conference,  for  fear 
of  producing  excitement,  without  accomplishing  the 
desired  object ;  but  I  retain  it  as  a  faithful  record  of 
my  views  and  feelings.  Whether  the  advice  was  good 
or  not,  time  may  prove.     Lord  help  me  to  be  faithful ! 

"  T.  A.  M." 

This  document,  much  as  the  whole  Church  will 
rejoice  that  it  was  withheld,  will  be  read  with  interest, 
as  containing  "a  faithful  record  of  the  views  and 
feelings  "  of  its  revered  author.     It  is  as  follows  : 

11  To  the  Bishops  and  Delegates  of  the  Several  Animal  Conferences,  in 
General  Conference  Assembled : 

"  Reverend  and  Dear  Brethren, — Unaccus- 
tomed to  speak  in  General  Conference,  I  avail  my- 
self of  this  method  of  addressing  you  on  a  subject 
which  is  to  me  of  the  utmost  importance ;  and 
although  it  is  not  to  be  expected  that  you  will  feel 
as  I  do  respecting   it,  yet  in  view  of  the  relations  I 


1 66  LIFE    OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

sustain  to  the  general  work,  about  whose  interests  you 
have  met  to  confer,  I  trust  you  will  have  the  goodness 
to  favor  me  with  a  candid  and  patient  hearing. 

"  The  object  of  this  communication   is    to  tender 

.ou,  in  a  formal  manner,  the  resignation  of  my 
episcopal  office,  which  I  now  do,  not  only  in  good 
faith  and  with  the  utmost  sincerity,  but  also  with 
an  ardent  desire  and  humble  hope  that  it  may  be 
aceer 

"  For  taking'this  step,  it  will  doubtless  be  expected 
of  me  to  render  some  reason  ;  with  which  expec- 
tation I  will  now  most  cheerfully  comply.  Mv  course 
is  not  influenced  by  any  doubt  of  the  propriety  of 
the  office  itself,  by  any  conscientious  scruples  which 
interfere  with  the  execution  of  its  duties,  or  by  any 
want  ol  confidence  in  my  brethren.  My  reasons 
may  be  briefly  summed  up  thus  :  A  conviction  of 
mind  that  I  am  not  qualified  for  the  work,  and  there- 
fore not  in  my  proper  place.  .  My  election  to  the 
office  was  contrary  both  to  my  wish  and  expectation. 
I  had  done  all  that  seemed  prudent,  in  order  to 
prevent  that  election  ;  it  was,  however,  eventually 
effected.     I    regret    now    that     I    did    not   offer    my 

^nation  before  my  consecration. 

"  The  reasons  why  I  did  not  were  these  :  I.  A 
fear  of  embarrassing  the  Conference  by  declining  the 
appointment  which  was  given  me  at  a  late  period  of 
its  session.  2.  A  fear  of  breaking  my  ordination 
vow  to  '  to  act  in  all  things  as  a  son  in  the  Gospel.' 
For  many  years  I  had  generally  received  the  decis- 
ions of  the  Church  in  my  case  as  indications  of  the 
order    of    Providence   concerning    me   and   my  work, 


LETTER    WITHHELD.  1 67 

and  it  was  only  in  that  view  of  the  subject  that  my 
conscience  suffered  me,  on  my  examination,  to  answer 
in  the  affirmative  the  first  question  proposed. 

"  Still  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  sets  up 
no  claim  to  infallibility  ;  and  I  mean  no  disrespect 
when  I  add,  the  General  Conference  may  have  erred 
in  the  selection  of  an  officer.  Under  all  these  cir- 
cumstances of  the  case,  I  concluded,  though  with 
much  hesitancy,  that  it  might  be  safe  for  me  to  make 
a  trial  to  do  the  work  assigned  me.  I  have  done  so  ; 
and  the  result  of  four  years'  experiment  is  a  confirma- 
tion of  the  conviction  with  which  I  commenced  the 
work,  that  I  am  not  qualified  for  it  ;  that  I  have  not 
the  knowledge,  wisdom,  faith,  holiness,  patience,  moral 
courage,  and  general  weight  of  character,  requisite  to 
fill  such  an  office  as  the  general  superintendency  of  our 
extended  connection.  And,  more  especially,  I  do  not 
feel  competent  to  preside,  so  as  to  maintain  proper 
order  in  the  conferences,  and  decide  the  numerous 
questions  of  an  intricate  character  which  are  referred 
to  me  for  decision,  and  often  without  time  for  reflec- 
tion. It  is  true  the  brethren  have  shown  me  much 
kindness,  respect,  and  forbearance.  In  all  these 
virtues  they  have  not  only  exceeded  my  expectations, 
but  commended  themselves  to  my  confidence  and 
gratitude. 

"  But  these  indications  of  goodness,  however  grate- 
ful  to  my  feelings,  have  not  removed  the  consciousness 
of  my  own  failures  in  performing  properly  many  of 
the  duties  of  my  responsible  office.  When  I  speak 
of  failures  in  this  connection,  I  do  not  mean  willful 
neglect   of   work,    but    failures    in    performing  it   for 


1 68  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

want  of  more  skill  and  courage.  My  conscience  bears 
me  witness  that  in  general  I  have  done  what  I  could, 
and  as  well  as  I  could,  under  the  circumstances,  so  far 
as  my  official  acts  are  concerned.  To  accomplish  the 
work  given  me  to  do,  I  have  not  only  made  a  continual 
sacrifice  of  spiritual  privileges  and  domestic  comforts, 
but  I  have  risked  my  life  more  than  once,  and  in 
more  ways  than  one.  The  reason  of  my  doing  so  was, 
that  I  did  not  feel  at  liberty  to  throw  off  the  re- 
sponsibility which  the  General  Conference  had  laid 
upon  me  ;  nor  can  I  now,  without  your  consent. 

"  You  alone  have  authority  to  relieve  me, 
and  to  you  I  appeal.  I  have  borne  the  office  of  a 
general  superintendent  as  a  constant  burden,  under 
which  I  have  sometimes  well-nigh  fainted.  I  now 
lay  that  burden  at  your  feet,  and  pray  you  not  to 
replace  it  upon  me.  Here  I  would  not  be  misunder- 
stood. For  all  I  enjoy  in  this  life,  and  hope  for  in  the 
life  to  come,  I  am  indebted,  under  God,  to  the  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  Church.  She  could  always  have 
done  well  enough  without  me  ;  but  I  never  could, 
and  can  not  now,  do  without  her  ;  and  in  her  com- 
munion I  wish  to  live  and  die.  Moreover,  I  have  no 
wish  to  leave  her  itinerancy  ;  for,  however  unworthy 
of  the  place,  I  am  well  persuaded  the  Lord  has  called 
me  to  the  work  of  a  traveling  minister.  But  I  do 
most  respectfully  request  and  humbly  beg  that  you 
will  accept  my  resignation  as  general  superintendent. 

"  In  making  this  request,  I  trust  I  am  not  crimi- 
nally selfish  ;  that  I  am  not  actuated  exclusively  by  a 
desire  to  be  relieved  on  my  own  account,  but  also 
for  the  good    of   the  Church,  being  fully   persuaded 


CHARACTER    OF  LETTER.  1 69 

there  are  others  who  could  do  the  work  better,  and 
do  it,  too,  with  less  difficulty  than  I  can.  And  if  I 
did  not  believe  that  the  General  Conference  could 
constitutionally  and  safely  grant  my  request,  I  would 
not  make  it.  I  am  no  advocate  of  High  Church 
notions  ;  nor  do  I  think  that,  because  a  brother  is 
appointed  a  Methodist  superintendent,  he  must  neces- 
sarily continue  such  during  life  or  good  behavior, 
whether  he  is  adapted  to  the  work  or  not.  The  ap- 
pointment of  an  untried  officer  is  an  experiment, 
which  may  or  may  not  succeed  ;  and  when  such 
appointment  is  found  to  be  injudicious,  it  should  be 
changed. 

"  My  dear  brethren,  do  not  suppose  that  in  this 
matter  I  have  been  hasty,  for  I  am  only  executing  a 
purpose  of  mind  which  has  been  maturing  for  more 
than  three  years  ;  though,  from  prudential  considera- 
tions, I  have  said  but  little  respecting  it  among  the 
brethren.  Finally,  I  do  not  wish  to  hurry  the  Con- 
ference in  my  case  ;  but  nothing  less  than  direct  action 
on  the  main  question  of  accepting  my  resignation, 
before  the  final  adjournment,  will  satisfy  my  mind. 
"Yours,  in  Christian  bonds, 

"  Thomas  A.  Morris. 

"  Baltimore,  May,  18-10." 

In  this  paper  the  modesty,  humility,  and  con- 
scientiousness which  were  throughout  his  life  charac- 
teristic of  Bishop  Morris,  are  very  strikingly  displayed. 
We  may  easily  suppose  that  the  conclusion  at  which 
he  arrived  was  reached  slowly  and  prayerfully,  and 
that  it  must  have  required  very  cogent  reasoning  on 
the  part  of  his  colleagues  and  brethren  to  induce  him 

J5 


170  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

to  relinquish  a  purpose  which  had  been  so  long  ma- 
turing in  his  mind.  Probably  no  posthumous  paper 
of  this  honored  servant  of  God  will  tend  more  to  in- 
crease the  admiration  of  the  Church  for  his  pure  and 
unselfish  character    than  this  "withheld  resignation." 

After  the  adjournment  of  General  Conference, 
Bishop  Morris  presided  over  the  Pittsburg  Confer- 
ence, at  Clarksburg,  Virginia,  July  15th  ;  the  Ken- 
tucky, at  Bardstovvn,  October  14th  ;  the  Holston,  at 
Walker  C.  H.,  Georgia,  November  nth;  the  North 
Carolina,  at  Mocksville,  December  23d  ;  the  Virginia, 
at  Lynchburg,  January  13,  1841  ;  the  Baltimore,  in 
the  city  of  Baltimore,  February  10,  1841  ;  reaching 
his  home  in  Cincinnati  in  the  latter  part  of  March. 

The  Summer  of  that  year  was  devoted  to  the 
preparation  of  a  volume  of  sermons  for  the  press  ;  a 
work  which  he  prosecuted  with  such  industry  that  it 
was  issued  in  the  Fall  of  the  same  year.  His  reasons 
for  submitting  a  book  of  sermons  to  the  public  are 
thus  stated  in  the  Preface  : 

"The  want  of  a  small  volume  of  instructive  dis- 
courses on  various  religious  subjects,  suited  in  matter, 
manner,  and  cost  to  our  people,  and  especially  in  the 
West,  has  long  been  felt  by  them  ;  particularly  as  we 
have  no  such  work  on  the  catalogue  of  books  printed 
and  sold  at  our  Book  Concern.  The  Methodist  Epis- 
copal Church  abounds  in  periodicals,  biography,  and 
history  ;  but  not  in  sermons  of  her  own  authorship. 
Perhaps  one  reason  of  this  is,  Mr.  Wesley's  sermons 
are  supposed  by  many  to  supersede  the  necessity  of 
all  others  among  us.  I  am  perfectly  free  to  admit 
they  are  the  best  ever  written,  or  that  probably  ever 


VOLUME  OF  SERMONS.  171 

will  be  written  ;  still  that  work  is  too  voluminous  and 
costly  to  meet  the  case  of  those  for  whom  this  is 
more  especially  designed.  Besides,  it  is  not  clear 
to  my  mind  that  all  the  sermons  made  in  America, 
having  a  special  adaptation  to  the  state  of  society 
here,  should  die  with  their  authors,  without  ever  ap- 
pearing in  print,  merely  because  superior  ones  for 
general  purposes  have  been  imported.  There  are  in 
all  communities  some  peculiarities  which  are  best  un- 
derstood by  the  ministers  who  serve  them.  The 
Book  Committee  at  Cincinnati,  including  the  editors, 
have  several  times  officially  requested  the  preparation 
of  such  a  work  as  this  is  designed  to  be,  while  the 
Agents  of  the  Book  Concern,  and  other  brethren  in 
the  "West,  have  for  years  kindly  encouraged  the  un- 
dertaking ;  and  hence,  hoping  it  might  do  some  good, 
I  finally,  though  with  much  fear  and  trembling, 
consented  to  make  the  attempt." 

The  sermons,  forty  in  number,  and  embracing  a 
wide  range  of  topics,  are  admirable  specimens  of  the 
plain,  pointed,  and  vigorous  style  of  the  author.  In 
preaching,  as  in  writing,  he  studiously  avoids  difficult 
and  unusual  words,  adhering,  as  nearly  as  possible,  to 
Scriptural  phraseology.  The  volume  has  passed 
through  many  editions  already,  and  will  doubtless  oc- 
cupy a  permanent  place  among  the  sermon  literature 
of  the  Church. 

On  the  6th  of  August,  1841,  Bishop  Morris  took 
stage  for  Indianapolis,  Indiana  ;  thence  he  journeyed 
in  an  open  wagon  through  Logansport,  Laporte,  and 
Michigan  City,  to  Chicago.  Exposure  to  an  August 
sun   by   day,   and    to    the    heavy    dews  of   the  night, 


172  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

brought  on  a  bilious  attack,  which  delayed  him  in 
Chicago  several  days.  Having  sufficiently  recovered 
his  strength  to  resume  the  road,  he  proceeded  to 
Plattesville,  Wisconsin,  where  he  presided  over  the 
Rock-river  Conference,  August  25th  ;  thence  to  the 
Illinois  Conference,  which  met  September  15th,  at 
Jacksonville ;  thence  to  the  Missouri  Conference, 
which  met  October  6th,  at  Palmyra. 

From  the  seat  of  the  Missouri  Conference,  the  bishop 
proceeded  to  St.  Louis,  for  the  purpose  of  organizing 
a  party  to  proceed  on  to  Texas  together.  The  com- 
pany consisted  of  Rev.  John  Clark,  his  wife  and  son 
John,  about  nine  years  old  ;  Rev.  Josiah  W.  Whipple, 
and  Bishop  Morris.  Messrs.  Clark  and  Whipple  were 
regular  itinerant  Methodist  preachers,  noble  and 
courageous  spirits,  who  had,  a  year  previously,  volun- 
teered to  go  as  regular  transfers  from  the  Rock-river  to 
the  Texas  Conference,  for  the  sole  purpose  of  preach- 
ing the  Gospel  in  that  new  and  interesting  Republic. 
This  little  party  had  one  covered  wagon,  hung  on 
elliptic  springs,  with  baggage-racks,  and  all  the  neces- 
sary fixtures  to  render  it  a  convenient  and  comforta- 
ble traveling  wagon  for  a  family.  This  wagon,  drawn 
by  two  stout  horses,  was  occupied  by  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Clark,  Mr.  Whipple,  and  about  five  hundred  pounds 
of  luggage.  There  was,  in  addition,  a  light  buggy, 
drawn  by  one  horse,  occupied  by  the  bishop,  the  little 
boy,  and  a  quantity  of  light  articles  for  every-day  use 
on  the  journey.  The  outfit  for  the  trip — arranged  by 
Mr.  Clark,  who  had  labored  some  years  as  a  missionary 
among  the  Indians  at  Green  Bay,  and  was  accustomed 
to    journey    through    desolate    regions — embraced   a 


ON   THE  ROUTE.  1 73 

marquee,  or  linen  tent,  glass  lamp,  ax,  hammer,  frying- 
pan,  tea-kettle,  coffee-mill,  patent  coffee-boiler,  water- 
bucket,  provision-basket,  plates,  knives  and  forks, 
spoons,  etc. 

The  party  left  St.  Louis  on  Tuesday,  October 
19th,  passed  the  village  of  Carondelet,  and,  about 
fifteen  miles  from  the  city,  crossed  the  Merrimack 
River.  About  ten  miles  further  on  they  were  kindly 
entertained  for  the  night  by  a  Mr.  Hunt  and  family, 
whom  the  bishop  had  known  on  Marietta  Circuit, 
Ohio  Conference,  in  1817.  The  next  day  they  passed 
through  Herculaneum,  a  village  on  the  west  bank  of 
the  Mississippi  River,  and  above  the  mouth  of  a 
creek,  which  they  crossed  on  an  old  ferry-boat. 
Passing  on  nine  miles  over  a  very  difficult  road,  they 
reached  the  residence  of  Dr.  Steel,  where  they  dined  ; 
and  the  bishop  baptized  a  child  of  German  parents, 
who  resided  in  the  neighborhood.  In  the  afternoon 
they  were  able  to  make  but  seventeen  miles,  and 
were  fortunate  enough  to  meet  a  kind  reception  and 
find  excellent  entertainment  for  the  night  with  a  Mrs. 
Poston,  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Church,  as  were 
also  her  son  and  daughter.  Our  travelers  found 
much  difficulty  in  that  part  of  Missouri  in  knowing 
what  course  to  take  from  time  to  time,  as  there  were 
seldom  any  guide-boards  at  the  numerous  forks  of 
the  roads. 

The  next  day  they  hastened  on  to  Farmington, 
thirteen  miles,  expecting  to  meet  a  congregation  ;  but, 
finding  that  the  meeting  had  been  postponed  till 
night  with  a  view  to  obtain  a  better  congregation, 
they  accepted  the  proffered  hospitality  of  Mr.  David 


174  LIFE   0F  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

Murphy,  a  Methodist  who  had  resided  on  his  farm 
adjoining  the  village  about  thirty  years,  and  who,  in 
the  afternoon,  entertained  his  guests  with  many  in- 
teresting anecdotes  of  Bishop  M'Kendree  and  Rev. 
Jesse  Walker,  who  had  often  made  his  house  a 
resting-place  after  their  excessive  toils  in  that  new 
country.  While  waiting  here,  they  also  met  Rev.  Job 
Lawrence,  deacon  elect,  and  the  bishop  consecrated 
him  to  that  office  in  due  form.  The  evening  proved 
a  stormy  one,  and  the  bishop  preached  a  short 
sermon  to  a  small  congregation  in  a  very  dimly 
lighted  Presbyterian  church. 

Leaving  Farmington  next  day,  Friday,  October 
22d,  they  pushed  on  to  Fredericktown,  Madison 
County,  where  a  "two-days'  meeting"  had  been  ap- 
pointed in  view  of  the  expected  episcopal  visit. 
Among  the  acquaintances  made  here  were  the  Hon. 
Judge  Cook,  Presiding  Judge  of  the  district,  and  Mr. 
Davis,  a  respectable  member  of  the  bar,  who  were  in 
attendance  upon  the  Circuit  Court  then  in  session, 
and  which  adjourned  Saturday  night.  They  were 
both  Methodists,  exerting  a  most  salutary  influence 
in  that  region,  and  "  affording  additional  evidence," 
in  the  words  of  Bishop  Morris,  "  that  gentlemen  of 
the  green-bag  profession  may  be  experimental  and 
practical  Christians."  While  many  others  who  had 
been  in  attendance  at  the  court  left  for  their  homes 
on  Sabbath  morning,  these  two  gentlemen  remained, 
and  worshiped  all  day,  like  Christians  who  knew 
their  duty  and  appreciated  their  privileges. 

Leaving  Fredericktown  early  on  Monday  morning, 
our    travelers    pursued    their    journey    without    any 


ENCAMPED  FOR    THE  NIGHT.  1 75 

special  or  noteworthy  incident,  until  Thursday  night, 
when,  for  the  first  time,  they  had  an  opportunity  to 
try  how  well  they  could  entertain  themselves  over 
night.  About  dark  they  reached  a  beautiful  tributary 
stream  of  Black  River,  and  pitched  their  tent  under 
a  large  cypress-tree  growing  on  its  bank.  After 
taking  off  the  horses  and  securing  them  to  the  trees, 
Mr.  Clark,  by  means  of  his  flint  and  steel,  soon  made 
a  fire  ;  and  while  the  others  were  adjusting  the  tent 
and  gathering  fuel,  Mrs.  Clark  prepared  a  good  sup- 
per, which  was  served  in  genuine  camp-style,  and 
greatly  enjoyed  by  the  entire  company.  The  ground 
was  rather  damp  for  comfortable  sleeping,  in  conse- 
quence of  rain  that  day  ;  but  they  spread  down 
buffalo-skins  and  blankets,  using  carriage-cushions 
for  pillows,  partitioned  off  the  tent  into  two  apart- 
ments, and  at  the  hour  of  evening  sacrifice  had  family 
worship,  and  slept  in  peace  and  safety  until  morn- 
ing. Before  leaving  "  Camp  Cypress  "  next  morning, 
curiosity  led  them  to  run  a  line  around  the  trunk  of 
the  stately  tree  under  whose  branches  they  had 
rested,  when  it  was  found  to  be  twenty-four  feet  in 
circumference. 

While  here  they  saw,  for  the  first  time  on  this 
journey,  large  flocks  of  paroquets  passing  over  and 
occasionally  lighting  on  the  trees  around  them.  They 
are  a  small  species  of  parrot,  something  less  than 
pigeons  ;  with  plumage  mostly  green,  but  exhibiting 
all  the  colors  of  the  rainbow.  Their  greatest  strength 
is  in  their  yellow,  hooked  beak,  with  which  they  can 
sever  small  branches  from  fruit-trees.  They  are  noisy 
birds,  but  their  notes  are  not  melodious.     On  account 


Ij6  LIFE    OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

of   their   great    beauty  they  are  often    domesticated, 
which  is  easily  done. 

On  Friday  morning,  October  29th,  our  travelers 
crossed  the  Missouri  line  into  Arkansas,  crossed  the 
Current  River  in  a  ferry-boat,  and  in  the  evening 
camped  about  fifteen  miles  beyond  the  river,  on  the 
bank  of  a  large  creek  called  Fourche  de  Mass.  The 
evening  was  mild  and  calm,  the  full  moon  shone 
brightly,  the  camp-fire  blazed  cheerily,  and  all  the 
party  were  in  excellent  spirits.  Their  bill  of  fare 
included  warm  corn  hoe-cakes,  fried  ham,  eggs,  sweet 
potatoes,  butter,  coffee,  and  Boston  crackers — an 
exhibit  which  certainly  reflects  great  credit  on  the 
commissariat  of  the  little  party.  Their  design  was  to 
reach  Jackson  the  next  day,  and  preach  there  on 
Sabbath  ;  but  Providence  ordered  otherwise.  About 
midnight  the  weather  changed,  and  a  gale  sprang  up, 
bringing  with  it  clouds  and  rain,  which  pelted  their 
thin  habitation  the  rest  of  the  night,  and  nearly  the 
whole  of  the  ensuing  day,  so  that  they  could  scarcely 
leave  the  tent  at  all  without  getting  wet.  Here,  and 
in  this  condition,  they  expected  to  remain  till  Monday. 
Mr.  Whipple  started  out  on  horseback  to  explore  the 
neighborhood,  with  a  view  to  collecting  a  congregation 
on  the  Sabbath.  While  he  was  gone,  Mr.  Clark  chopped 
wood,  to  avoid  the  sin  of  gathering  sticks  on  the  Sab- 
bath ;  but  when,  after  much  hard  toil,  he  had  secured 
an  ample  supply,  Mr.  Whipple  returned,  and  with  him 
came  a  Mr.  Spikes,  a  Methodist,  and  a  native  of  North 
Carolina,  who  lived  in  the  neighborhood.  At  his 
urgent  request,  Camp  Fourche  de  Mass  was  broken 
up,  and   the  party,  with    some   difficulty,    made  their 


AT  BATESVILLE.  1 77 

way  through  mud  and  darkness  to  the  old  gentle- 
man's hospitable  home,  three  miles  off.  The 
incessant  showers  of  rain  on  Sabbath  made  it  im- 
practicable to  gather  a  congregation.  On  Monday  it 
was  deemed  prudent  to  lie  by,  in  order  to  dry  the 
tent,  and  replenish  the  store  of  provisions.  Mr. 
Whipple  went  to  mill,  and  bought  flour,  which  Mrs. 
Clark  speedily  converted  into  bread.  Meantime 
one  of  the  party,  with  a  rifle,  which  constituted  a 
part  of  the  outfit,  made  a  short  excursion  into  the 
neighboring  woods,  and  soon  returned  with  a  fine  lot 
of  squirrels,  which,  being  parboiled  for  the  conven- 
ience of  carrying,  made  an  acceptable  addition  to  the 
camp  provisions. 

Tuesday,  November  2d,  they  crossed  a  small, 
rapid  river  called  Eleven  Pines,  and  in  the  afternoon 
passed  through  Jackson,  a  small  town,  formerly  the 
seat  of  justice  for  Lawrence  County.  A  mile  and  a 
half  beyond  this  town,  they  camped,  on  the  north 
bank  of  Spring  River.  Next  morning,  some  time  was 
lost  getting  the  horses  shod  ;  and  when  a  start  was 
finally  made,  they  had  gone  but  a  few  miles  when  a 
halt  was  called  on  the  discovery  being  made  that  the 
tea-kettle  was  missing.  A  messenger  sent  back  soon 
recovered  that  important  piece  of  culinary  furniture  ; 
but  owing  to  these  delays  but  seventeen  miles  were 
gained  by  midday.  Passing  on  through  Smithville, 
the  new  county-seat  of  Lawrence  County,  they 
camped  in  the  evening  on  the  south  bank  of  Straw- 
berry Creek. 

On  Friday,  November  5th,  they  reached  Bates- 
ville,   the   seat  of    the   Arkansas  Conference,   met  a 


178  LIFE  OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

warm  reception,  and   found  excellent  accommodation 
among  Christian  friends. 

The  Arkansas  Conference  commenced  its  Sixth 
Session  November  10th,  in  the  court-house,  the  same 
building  in  which  it  first  organized  in  1836.  Very 
few  of  the  original  members  remained.  In  the  short 
space  of  five  years,  most  of  these  had  disappeared 
from  the  roll  by  death,  location,  and  other  causes  ; 
but  their  places  had  been  supplied,  and  the  Confer- 
ence had  nearly  doubled  its  numbers  since  its  organ- 
ization. Their  geographical  boundary  was  extensive  ; 
embracing  the  State  of  Arkansas,  the  Missouri  Ter- 
ritory south  of  the  Cherokee  line,  and  a  fraction  of 
the  north-east  corner  of  Texas.  The  business  of  the 
Conference  was  conducted  with  great  harmony  and 
dispatch,  and  a  final  adjournment  was  reached  on 
Monday  evening. 

On  Tuesday,  the  16th,  at  a  late  hour  in  the  morn- 
ing, our  traveling  party  left  Batesville,  in  a  cold  rain. 
After  a  detention  of  two  hours  at  the  White-river 
Ferry,  they  finally  got  safely  across  the  turbid  and 
rapid  stream,  made  so  by  recent  heavy  rains.  In  the 
evening  they  sought  and  found  a  retired  spot,  off  the 
road,  for  their  camp,  with  a  view  to  escape  the  pigs, 
which  had  been  very  troublesome  on  previous  occa- 
sions. They  found  a  suitable  place  on  the  north 
bank  of  the  Sally  Doe — a  name  suggested  by  a  sin- 
gular occurrence.  Among  the  pioneers  of  the  coun- 
try was  a  heroine  named  Sally,  who,  observing  a 
female  deer  in  the  water,  stood  on  the  bank,  and  with 
a  gun  killed  it  ;  from  which  achievement  the  settlers 
agreed  to  name   the   creek   Sally  Doe.     Wednesday 


ROUTE    THROUGH  ARKANSAS.  1 79 

afternoon  they  crossed  Little  Red  River,  at  Crolman's 
Ferry,  thirty-two  miles  from  Batesville.  This  is  a 
deep,  rapid  stream,  about  ten  or  twelve  rods  wide. 
After  leaving  this  stream,  they  inquired  at  every 
house  they  passed  for  corn,  but  could  find  no  one 
who  had  any  to  sell  until  they  reached  the  cabin  of 
an  old  settler  on  Indian  Creek,  who  furnished  them 
a  bushel  and  a  half  for  a  dollar.  On  Saturday  they 
crossed  the  Arkansas  River  in  a  steam  ferry-boat,  and 
arrived  at  the  capital  of  the  State,  Little  Rock,  where 
they  met  a  hearty  Christian  welcome.  On  Sabbath, 
the  bishop  preached  to  a  good  congregation  in  the 
Methodist  Church,  and  after  sermon  administered  the 
sacrament  of  the  Lord's-s upper. 

On  Monday,  the  226.  of  November,  the  party  left 
Little  Rock  by  the  military  road,  leading  off  in  a  south- 
west direction.  Very  soon  they  entered  an  extensive 
forest  of  pitch-pine — the  trees  tall  and  straight,  and 
many  of  them  quite  large.  Six  miles  from  the  capi- 
tal they  passed  the  cabin  in  which  Bishop  Morris  had 
slept  in  1836,  the  night  before  he  entered  the  forty- 
mile  wilderness,  on  his  way  to  the  Mississippi  Con- 
ference. On  Tuesday  they  reached  Benton,  the  seat 
of  justice  for  Saline  County,  where  the  bishop 
preached  to  a  small  congregation,  hastily  collected,  in 
the  court-house. 

Wednesday  brought  them  to  Washita  River,  a 
hundred  and  fifty  yards  wide,  which  was  crossed  on 
a  ferry-boat,  at  about  noon.  After  partaking  of  their 
luncheon  on  the  south  bank  of  this  stream,  they  again 
resumed  the  road,  and  soon  entered  the  "Twelve- 
mile  Stretch,"  so  called  because  for  that  distance  the 


180  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

road  passes  over  pine  hills  so  poor  that  no  one  lives 
near  it.  Having  penetrated  this  wilderness  four  or 
five  miles,  they  found  a  running  brook  named  Bayou 
de  Sale,  and  pitched  their  tent.  At  half-past  eight 
o'clock  that  evening  a  violent  storm  of  wind  and  rain 
broke  upon  them,  attended  with  sharp  lightning  and 
heavy  thunder.  For  some  time  before  this  storm 
reached  them,  they  heard  its  distant,  awful  roar 
among  the  pine-trees,  and  experienced  something  of 
the  terrific  grandeur  of  a  hurricane  at  night  in  an  un- 
broken forest.  When,  at  last,  it  reached  them,  it 
"  smote  the  four  corners "  of  their  tabernacle,  the 
tent-pins  gave  way,  and  the  cloth  twisted  up  into  a 
whirling  heap  around  the  occupants,  and  would 
doubtless  have  gone  off  with  the  wind,  had  not  the 
men  thrown  their  whole  weight  upon  it.  Before  the 
tent  could  be  readjusted,  the  entire  company  was 
thoroughly  wet,  and  not  till  midnight  were  they 
sufficiently  dried  to  lie  clown  and  sleep  comfortably. 
At  the  south  end  of  this  "Stretch"  they  came,  on 
Thursday  morning,  to  Bayou  de  Roche,  which,  as  its 
name  is  intended  to  express,  is  remarkably  stony  in 
the  channel  and  on  either  shore.  A  few  miles 
brought  them  to  another  rapid  little  river,  called 
Fourche  Caddo,  and,  as  it  was  turning  cold,  they 
stopped,  started  a  fire  by  which  to  warm  and  eat,  and 
then  hastened  on.  That  evening  they  turned  off  the 
road  to  the  right,  and  after  proceeding  about  one 
hundred  yards  down  a  small  brook  in  quest  of  a  suita- 
ble camping-place,  the  bishop's  buggy,  in  which  was 
the  bag  of  corn,  suddenly  broke  down.  "  The  fore  axle- 
tree,  both  wood  and  iron,  gave  way  at  the  king-bolt, 


LOG   MEETING-HOUSE.  l8l 

and  let  me  down  softly,"  he  says,  "within  one  rod  of 
where  we  judged  best,  upon  thorough  examina- 
tion, to  build  our  fire."  As  the  buggy  must  of  course 
be  repaired,  they  lost  one  day  by  the  necessary  deten- 
tion, remaining  for  two  cold  nights  at  "Camp  Mishap." 
Saturday  morning  they  again  set  out  on  their 
journey.  The  weather  had  now  become  quite  cold  ; 
it  froze  all  day,  was  windy,  cloudy,  and  unpleasant  ; 
but  they  pushed  on,  and  reached  Wolf's  Creek  by 
night,  where  they  had  agreed  to  spend  the  Sabbath 
and  hold  religious  service.  As  the  chapel  here  was 
considered  the  best  then  in  the  southern  part  of 
Arkansas,  Bishop  Morris's  description  of  it  will  be 
read  with  interest.  "The  walls,"  he  says,  "are  made 
of  hewed  logs,  about  twenty  by  twenty-four  feet  in 
extent,  with  a  wooden  chimney  in  one  end,  and  a 
place  cut  out  for  a  chimney  at  the  other  end,  which 
is  partly  closed  up  with  slabs.  In  the  front  is  a 
large  door,  with  a  center-post  and  double  shutters, 
on  the  principle  of  a  barn-door.  Immediately  oppo- 
site, on  the  other  side,  is  a  pulpit,  which  projects 
some  six  feet  from  the  wall,  the  forepart  of  which  is 
so  high  that  when  the  preacher  kneels  to  pray  he  is 
nearly  concealed  from  the  view  of  the  people.  Be- 
hind this  pulpit  is  a  window  without  glass,  the 
shutter  of  which  is  neither  long  enough  nor  wide 
enough  to  close  it,  and,  consequently,  it  lets  in  a 
double  stream  of  air  upon  the  preacher.  The  roof 
is  made  of  clapboards,  between  which  and  the  floor 
there  is  no  ceiling,  though  there  are  some  naked 
poles  laid  across  on  the  plates  ;  and  the  cracks 
between  the  logs  are  neither  chinked  nor  daubed  ;  and 


1 82  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

though  they  were  once  partially  closed  by  nailing  on 
thin  boards,  these  have  been  mostly  torn  off  to  afford 
light  and  a  free  circulation  of  air." 

Here  Bishop  Morris  preached  in  the  morning. 
He  says,  "We  had  truly  a  chilly  time,  physically  and 
spiritually."  In  the  evening,  the  people  kindled  a 
large  fire  in  the  front  yard,  and  when  they  got  too 
cold  to  sit  in  comfort,  they  would  go  out  to  the  fire, 
warm,  and   return. 

Leaving  Wolf's  Creek  on  Monday  morning,  they 
crossed  the  Little  Missouri  River,  and  encountered 
nothing  worthy  of  remark,  except  remarkably  bad 
roads,  until  next  morning,  when  they  entered  the 
town  of  Washington,  Hemstead  County,  a  place  of 
neat  appearance,  compactly  built,  and  one  of  the 
largest  in  the  State.  It  contained,  however,  no 
Methodist  Church  at  that  time,  and  the  bishop 
preached  to  a  good  congregation  in  the  court-house. 
While  the  rest  of  the  party  tarried  in  Washing- 
ton, Bishop  Morris,  Mr.  Clark,  and  the  presiding 
elder  of  the  district,  Mr.  Gregory,  made  a  visit 
to  Columbus,  a  village  about  ten  miles  distant, 
and  conferred  deacons'  orders  on  three  local 
preachers — one  of  whom  had  carried  a  certificate  of 
election  twenty-two  years  without  an  opportunity  of 
presenting  it. 

The  following  Sabbath  was  spent  in  Spring  Hill. 
The  village,  though  it  numbered  among  its  inhab- 
itants several  wealthy  planters,  and  boasted  an 
academy,  had  no  church  of  any  kind.  Preaching 
services  were  conducted  in  the  academy,  where  a  fine, 
attentive  congregation  assembled  to  hear  the  Word. 


IN  THE    WILDERNESS.  I?3 

Monday  night  they  camped  in  the  woods,  and 
next  morning  entered  a  wilderness  of  about  thirty 
miles  without  a  house.  They  had  proceeded  but  a 
few  miles  in  this  wilderness,  when  they  were  startled 
by  the  keen  crack  of  a  rifle.  Soon  a  buck  was  seen 
flying  across  the  road,  as  if  wounded,  and  immedi- 
ately after  a  young  Indian,  in  hunting  costume, 
attended  by  a  well-trained  dog,  appeared  on  the 
scene.  Presently  his  father  and  mother — it  was  sup- 
posed— with  some  younger  children,  came  up  with  a 
train  of  small  ponies,  packed  with  skins  and  meat,  in 
real  hunter  style.  This  was  a  family  of  Choctaws, 
returning  from  their  Fall  hunt.  Had  our  travelers 
been  men  of  leisure  and  fond  of  the  gun,  the  tempta- 
tion would  have  been  strong  to  stop  here  for  a  few 
days  ;  but  they  had  other  and  more  important  busi- 
ness in  view  than  hunting  deer,  bear,  or  wild  cattle. 
Indeed,  they  must  pass  the  wilderness  that  day,  or  let 
their  horses  suffer  for  grain.  After  a  hard  day's 
drive,  they  reached  Dorcheat,  a  bayou  some  forty 
yards  wide,  and  camped  for  the  night.  An  old 
settler  was,  with  some  persuasion,  induced  to  part 
with  a  bushel  of  corn  for  two  dollars. 

On  Wednesday,  December  8th,  they  entered  Clai- 
borne Parish,  Louisiana,  and  in  the  evening  passed 
what  was  called  on  the  maps  Allen's  Settlement, 
but  they  could  see  nothing  of  it  except  Mr. 
Allen's  field  and  cabin.  A  mile  and  a  half  be- 
yond this  "settlement"  they  halted  for  the  night, 
pitching  their  tent  on  a  spot  which  afforded  so 
many  conveniences  and  comforts,  that  by  com- 
mon consent    it    was     named  Camp    Felicity.      The 


1 84  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

ground  was  handsome,  water  good,  fuel  abundant 
and  convenient. 

On  Saturday,  about  noon,  they  passed  a  camp  of 
Indian  hunters.  Their  ponies,  each  with  a  tinkling 
bell  about  his  neck,  were  grazing  ;  an  old  Indian  was 
lying  in  camp  on  his  stomach,  resting  his  chin  on  his 
hands,  while  two  squaws  were  hard  at  work,  and  a 
few  children  were  playing  around  the  fire  ;  the 
hunters  being  probably  on  the  chase.  Nine  miles 
beyond  this  camp — which  distance  was  passed  with- 
out seeing  a  house — they  reached  a  house  of  enter- 
tainment, kept  by  a  Methodist,  where  they  remained 
till  Monday,  preaching  on  Sabbath  in  a  log  chapel  in 
the  neighborhood,  to  about  twenty  persons.  They 
could  not  complain,  however,  of  the  size  of  the  con- 
gregation ;  for  it  included,  they  were  assured,  the 
whole  neighborhood. 

The  journey  for  the  next  four  or  five  days  was 
barren  of  incidents.  On  Friday,  the  17th,  they 
reached  the  Sabine  River,  at  Gaines's  Ferry,  crossed 
over,  and  were  within  the  limits  of  the  "Lone  Star 
Republic."  In  a  short  time  they  arrived  at  that  in- 
teresting part  of  Texas  called  the  "  Red  Lands,"  which 
was  thickly  settled  and  well  improved.  Their  first 
night  in  the  Republic  was  passed  in  their  tent,  near 
a  pure  fountain  of  excellent  spring-water.  Whatever 
they  desired  for  themselves  or  horses  was  readily  ob- 
tained here,  and  on  reasonable  terms,  compared  with 
the  rates  which  had  been  exacted  for  similar  articles 
in  Arkansas  and  Louisiana.  The  night  was  cool,  but 
clear,  and  so  perfectly  calm  that  the  smoke  went  up 
from    the  hickory-log   fire   as    straight   as    if    it   had 


TEXAS  CONFERENCE.  1 85 

passed  through  a  chimney.  After  a  first-rate  camp 
supper,  they  spent  the  evening  in  their  quiet  habita- 
tion in  the  wilderness,  in  peace  and  contentment, 
singing  occasionally  the  songs  of  Zion — though  it 
was  in  a  strange  land — among  others,  the  "Jubilee 
of  the  Israelites,"  and  with  some  emphasis  when  they 
came  to  the  words, — 

"  Though  Baca's  vale  be  dry,  and  the  land  yield  no  supply, 
To  a  land  of  corn  and  wine  we  '11  go  on,  we  '11  go  on,"  etc. 

On  Saturday  evening  they  reached  San  Augus- 
tine, the  seat  of  justice  for  the  county  of  the  same 
name,  and  one  of  the  largest  towns  in  Texas,  though 
the  population  was  then  scarcely  a  thousand  souls. 
Here  the  Texas  Conference  assembled  on  the  23d  of 
December.  Most  of  the  members  were  present  ;  two 
only  being  absent.  There  had  been  no  deaths  among 
them  during  the  year  ;  but  some  of  the  first  band 
of  missionaries  were  nearly  worn  out  by  hard  work 
and  exposure.  The  Conference  was  re-enforced  by 
four  transferred,  one  readmitted,  and  three  young 
men  admitted  on  trial.  The  whole  number  of  names 
on  the  Minutes  was  twenty-three,  including  seven 
probationers.  The  Texas  Mission  had  been  insti- 
tuted four  years  previously — in  1837;  since  when  it 
had  grown  into  an  annual  conference  with  twenty- 
three  traveling  preachers,  thirty-six  local  preachers, 
and  a  membership  of  two  thousand  seven  hundred 
and  ninety-five.  The  missionary  meeting  was  held 
on  Monday  night.  The  amount  collected,  in  cash, 
was  seventy-four  dollars  ;  after  which,  one  gave  four 
town     lots;     another,     fifteen     lots;     another,     one 

hundred    acres  of   land;    two    others,  three   hundred 

16 


1 86  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

and  twenty  acres  each  ;  and  another,  a  quarter  of  a 
league. 

On  the  30th  of  December,  the  bishop  set  out  for 
Austin,  distant  from  San  Augustine  three  hundred 
and  fifty  miles.  Journeying  slowly  along,  partly  from 
necessity,  and  partly  with  a  view  to  preach  wherever 
an  opportunity  offered,  he  reached  the  town  of  Wash- 
ington, January  13,  1842,  where  he  stopped  to  visit 
the  grave  of  Dr.  Ruter,  the  apostle  of  Methodism  in 
Texas,  who  died  at  his  post,  May  16,  1838. 

Rev.  Martin  Ruter,  D.  D.,  was  born  April  3,  1783, 
in  Charleston,  Massachusetts,  of  pious  parents.  When 
not  more  than  three  years  of  age,  according  to  his 
own  testimony,  he  had  serious  impressions,  which  in- 
creased with  his  years  until  1799,  when  he  resolved 
to  become  a  Christian,  and  soon  after  experienced 
the  forgiveness  of  sins,  and  united  with  the  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  Church.  Impressed  deeply  that  it 
would  be  his  duty  to  preach  the  Gospel,  he  turned  his 
attention  to  close  and  careful  study  of  Divinity.  In 
his  fifteenth  year  he  was  licensed  to  exhort,  and  a 
year  later  (1801)  was  admitted  on  trial  into  the  New 
York  Conference,  and  appointed  to  Chesterfield  Cir- 
cuit. In  1818,  the  Asbury  College,  in  Baltimore, 
conferred  on  him  the  degree  of  Master  of  Arts.  In 
1820  he  was  sent,  by  the  General  Conference,  to  con- 
duct the  business  of  the  Western  Book  Concern,  then 
established  in  Cincinnati.  In  1822,  the  Transylvania 
University,  of  Kentucky,  conferred  on  him  the  degree 
of  Doctor  of  Divinity.  He*  was  re-elected  to  the 
Book  Agency  by  the  General  Conference  of  1824  ; 
but  before  the  expiration  of  his  second  term  he  was 


GRAVE   OF  MARTIN  RUTER.  1 87 

called  to  the  presidency  of  Augusta  College,  which 
office  he  held  about  four  years.  We  find  him  next 
stationed  in  Pittsburg,  engaged  in  the  more  active 
and  congenial  duties  of  the  pastorate  ;  whence,  how- 
ever, he  was  soon  called  to  Meadville  to  preside  over 
the  Alleghany  College.  This  office  he  filled  with 
much  credit  to  himself,  and  great  advantage  to  the 
University,  until  the  Summer  of  1837,  when  he  re- 
signed his  chair  for  the  purpose  of  undertaking  the 
superintendence  of  the  mission  just  established  in 
Texas. 

Dr.  Ruter  was  no  ordinary  man.  Though  his 
early  advantages  were  only  such  as  a  common-school 
education  afforded,  yet  in  the  itinerant  field  he  be- 
came a  literary  man,  well  versed  in  languages, 
science,  and  history.  In  the  pulpit  he  was  solid, 
grave,  warm,  and  dignified. 

"The  mournful  spot  I  sought  for,"  says  Bishop 
Morris,  "  was  easily  found  without  a  guide  ;  the  grave 
being  inclosed  by  a  stone  wall,  and  covered  with  a 
white  marble  slab,  three  feet  wide  and  six  lon°:,  with 
a  suitable  inscription.  As  we  stood  under  a  tree 
which  grew  at  the  foot  of  the  grave,  reading  the  sol- 
emn epitaph,  the  sun  was  disappearing  in  the  West, 
while  a  thousand  thoughts  of  the  past  rushed  upon 
our  minds,  and  forcibly  reminded  us  that  our  own 
clays  would  soon  be  past.  With  Dr.  Ruter  I  had 
often  united  in  preaching  the  Gospel  to  crowded  as- 
semblies in  Ohio  and  Kentucky.  He  now  rests  from 
all  his  toil,  enjoying  the  promised  reward." 


1 88  LIFE    OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 


CHAPTER   VIII. 

DEATH    OF     MRS.      MORRIS — HIS     DAUGHTER'S     DEATH — CON- 
FERENCES   ATTENDED. 

ON  leaving  Washington,  the  course  of  Bishop 
Morris  led  him  through  Independence,  a  little 
east  of  which  he  gained  the  most  commanding  ele- 
vation, perhaps,  in  the  Republic.  Standing  on  a  most 
lovely  eminence,  the  eye  rested  on  a  landscape  of 
surpassing  loveliness,  interspersed  with  clumps  of 
evergreens,  grazing  herds,  cultivated  fields,  and 
meandering  streams  ;  the  whole  scene  filling  the  mind 
of  the  beholder  with  sensations  of  admiration  and 
pleasure.  Near  Independence  he  tarried  two  days 
with  Dr.  Hoxey,  preaching  in  an  academy,  which  was 
occupied  in  common  by  all  the  religious  denomina- 
tions, as  there  was  no  church  in  the  village  or  neigh- 
borhood. The  country  about  here  the  bishop 
pronounced  the  best  he  had  seen  in  Texas. 

Passing  on  westward  from  Independence,  the 
route  led  him  through  scenery  of  great  beauty,  and 
even  grandeur,  for  two  days.  Wednesday,  January 
19th,  he  reached  Rutersville,  in  Fayette  County — 
a  village  situated  on  an  elevated  prairie,  five  miles 
from  the  Colorado  River,  distinguished  chiefly  by  the 
location     of    Rutersville    College,    in    its    immediate 


AT  AUSTIN.  189 

vicinity.  The  enterprise  probably  originated  with 
Dr.  Ruter,  during  his  short  but  useful  missionary 
career  in  Texas.  A  Preparatory  Department  was 
opened  in  1840,  and  had,  at  the  time  of  Bishop 
Morris's  visit,  about  eighty  students.  On  Sunday, 
January  23d,  the  bishop  preached  in  the  College 
chapel  to  a  very  large  and  attentive  congregation. 

Resuming  his  travels  on  Monday  morning,  he 
passed  up  the  Colorado  River  twenty-five  miles,  and 
was  kindly  entertained  by  Mr.  Middleton  Hill.  Next 
day  it  turned  quite  cold,  and  he  set  out  in  a  drizzling 
rain,  which  made  traveling  extremely  uncomfortable. 
But  he  was  met,  during  the  day,  by  Mr.  Whipple, 
and  together  they  crossed  the  river,  and  pressed 
onward,  making  the  best  of  their  untoward  cir- 
cumstances. By  night  they  reached  a  delightful 
neighborhood,  which  had  grown  up  around  a  small 
but  lovely  prairie,  where  they  were  handsomely  en- 
tertained. That  night  the  Indians,  who  had  been  for 
some  nights  collecting  a  drove  of  horses  in  a  pen 
on  Cedar  Creek,  visited  a  house  in  sight  of  the  one 
in  which  they  lodged,  and  stole  five  horses,  besides 
a  considerable  number  on  the  opposite  side  of 
the  river.  Next  clay,  Bishop  Morris  preached  at 
Bastrop,  under  the  roar  of  artillery  ;  the  signal 
for  collecting  minute-men  to  go  in  pursuit  of  the 
Indians. 

On  Thursday  afternoon,  January  27th,  they 
arrived  at  the  country  residence  of  Judge  Webb, 
two  miles  from  the  city  of  Austin,  a  remarkably 
pleasant  and  inviting  situation,  in  the  midst  of  a 
grove  of  live-oaks,  on  a  handsome  eminence.     Here 


190  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

the  bishop  spent  several  days  very  pleasantly  with 
the  judge  and  his  family,  and  also  had  the  pleasure 
of  meeting  his  own  son,  who  had  then  resided  in 
Texas  for  three  years. 

In  consequence  of  a  severe  cold  which  had  set- 
tled on  his  lungs,  he  was  unable  to  preach  in  Austin, 
much  to  the  disappointment  of  the  society  there. 
In  fact,  he  made  but  one  visit  to  the  city  during  his 
stay  in  the  neighborhood,  and  that  was  on  Sunday 
morning  to  hear  a  sermon  by  Mr.  Clark,  the  presid- 
ing elder  of  the  district.  The  location  of  the  cap- 
ital of  the  short-lived  Republic,  at  Austin,  did  not 
seem  to  strike  the  bishop  as  a  very  judicious  one. 
41  The  arguments  in  favor  of  the  location  of  the 
capital,"  he  says,  "  must  be  chiefly  drawn  from  con- 
siderations of  beauty,  romance,  and  solitude;  for  be- 
tween it  and  the  populated  part  of  the  country,  there 
is  no  connecting  ligament,  but  a  narrow  string  of 
settlements  along  the  Colorado.  To  reach  Austin 
City  from  Galveston  requires  a  journey  of  two  hun- 
dred and  seventy-five  miles  ;  and  to  reach  it  from  the 
Sabine,  on  the  east,  requires  a  journey  of  about  four 
hundred.  It  may  be  geographically  central,  but  it 
certainly  is  not  so  to  the  inhabited  parts  of  the 
Republic." 

On  Monday,  January  31st,  the  bishop  turned  his 
face  homeward,  traveling  in  Mr.  Clark's  buggy  until 
he  reached  Houston,  where  he  and  his  son  took 
passage  on  a  steamer  for  Galveston.  They  reached 
that  city  the  next  morning,  whence,  after  resting  a 
few  days,  they  steamed  across  the  Gulf  to  New 
Orleans,    and    with     as     little    delay     as     possible 


DEATH  OF  MRS.   MORRIS.  191 

proceeded  up  the  Mississippi  River,  reaching  Cin- 
cinnati  March    I,   1842. 

From  this  long,  difficult,  and  dangerous  episcopal 
tour  Bishop  Morris  returned  to  his  home  to  find  his 
beloved  wife  in  rapidly  declining  health.  At  the 
time  of  his  departure  she  was  supposed  to  be  improv- 
ing, with  a  fair  prospect  of  recovery  ;  but  during  his 
absence  the  inflammation  had  gone  from  the  spine  to 
the  lungs,  and  the  disease  baffled  every  attempt  to 
arrest  or  remove  it.  She  lingered  until  May  17th, 
when  she  joyfully  entered  that  rest  which  remaineth 
for  the  people  of  God.  From  a  sketch  of  this  "elect 
lady,"  prepared  for  the  Ladies  Repository,  by  Rev. 
Dr.  (afterward  Bishop)  Hamline,  we  gather  some 
particulars  of  her  life  and  character. 

Mrs.  Abigail  Morris  was  the  daughter  of  Mr. 
Nathaniel  Scales,  and  was  born  in  Patrick  County, 
Virginia,  January,  18,  1793.  Her  early  associates 
were  not  religious,  but  rather  of  that  class  who 
place  a  higher  estimate  on  the  gayeties  of  the  world 
than  upon  a  life  of  piety.  When  about  twenty  years 
of  age,  however,  she  became  sensible  of  her  lost 
state  as  a  sinner,  sought  and  obtained  evidence  of 
pardoning  mercy,  and  united  with  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church.  She  was  married  to  Mr.  (after- 
ward Bishop)  Morris,  January,  23,  18 14.  Very  soon 
after  this  union,  a  great  and  unexpected  trial  came 
upon  her.  During  the  latter  part  of  the  first  year  of 
her  married  life,  her  husband  began  to  feel  that  it 
was  his  duty  to  devote  himself  to  the  ministry  in  the 
itinerant  ranks.  Western  itinerancy  in  those  days 
presented    so    many    difficulties,    and    threatened    so 


192  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

much  privation  to  the  family  of  the  preacher,  and 
especially  to  one  brought  up  as  she  had  been,  that 
the  prospect  was  not  only  disheartening,  but  to  a 
sensitive  female  overwhelming.  We  have  already 
related,  in  the  former  part  of  this  work,  how,  in  the 
Fall  of  1815,  while  suffering  under  a  severe  attack 
of  intermittent  fever,  Mrs.  Morris  was  led  to  yield  a 
hearty  assent  to  her  husband's  desire  to  obey  what 
he  felt  to  be  a  Divine  impression.  This  assent,  fully 
and  heartily  given,  was  never  recalled.  When  her 
husband,  discouraged  by  slender  support  for  his 
family,  or  want  of  success  in  his  Master's  business, 
would  talk  of  locating,  she  always  dissuaded  him  from 
it,  lest  some  worse  thing  should  come  upon  them  for 
deserting  a  work  to  which  they  had  been  so  signally 
called. 

"  For  more  than  thirty  years,"  says  Bishop  Ham- 
line,  "she  was  an  orderly,  living  member  of  the 
Church  ;  and  for  more  than  twenty-six  years  suffered 
the  privations  incident  to  the  itinerant  work,  pa- 
tiently sharing  its  toils  and  anxieties,  as  they  fall 
upon  the  family  of  the  traveling  preacher.  While 
health  permitted,  she  was  exceedingly  active  and  use- 
ful in  the  work  of  the  Lord,  as  a  leader  of  female 
prayer-meetings,  visiting  the  sick,  and  exhorting  all 
with  whom  she  had  influence  to  flee  the  wrath  to  come. 
When  she  had  strength  to  speak  in  the  love-feast, 
the  effect  was  often  felt  throughout  the  house,  in  an 
unusual  manner. 

"  Mrs.  Morris  was  a  great  sufferer  from  sickness. 
Few  persons  ever  lived  through  greater  afflictions 
than  she  did  during  the  last  twenty-five  years  of  her 


SKETCH  OF  MRS.  MORRIS,  193 

life.  Among  the  instances  of  her  extreme  suffering, 
the  severest  previous  to  her  last  sickness  was  in 
1839,  from  spinal  and  neuralgic  affection,  whereby 
she  was  confined  to  her  bed  nearly  six  months,  most 
of  the  time  in  extreme  agony.  This  brought  her  ap- 
parently to  the  gate  of  death.  But  the  grace  of  God 
was  so  manifested  to  her  in  that  affliction,  that  the 
more  she  suffered,  the  more  she  rejoiced  ;  and  the 
nearer  death  seemed  to  approach,  the  more  she  tri- 
umphed through  faith  in  Christ  Jesus.  Contrary  to 
the  expectations  of  herself,  her  physician,  and  friends, 
she  was  partially  restored,  and  was  able  to  go  about 
for  two  years. 

"  In  November,  1841,  she  took  a  severe  cold, 
which  fell  on  her  lungs,  followed  with  much  pain, 
great  soreness  in  the  chest,  a  stubborn  cough,  night- 
sweats,  and  loss  of  flesh  and  strength  ;  so  that,  by 
midwinter,  she  was  confined  to  the  bed.  Bishop 
Morris  was  then  in  Texas,  where  he  failed  to  receive 
letters  from  home,  and  knew  nothing  of  her  condition 
until  he  arrived  at  Galveston,  on  his  return  trip,  ill 
February  following.  He  then  got  merely  a  verbal 
report  of  her  illness  ;  but  on  landing  at  New  Orleans, 
he  received  letters  of  various  dates  up  to  February 
15th,  which  created  serious  fears  that  he  would  see 
her  no  more  on  earth.  When  she  embraced  her  hus- 
band, who  had  been  absent  nearly  seven  months,  and 
her  only  son,  whom  she  had  not  seen  for  three  years, 
and  never  expected  to  see  again,  she  exclaimed,  with 
a  tremulous  voice,  '  Now,  Lord,  I  am  ready  to  depart 
when  it  is  thy  will.' 

"  Much  of  the  time  during  her  last  sickness  her 
17 


194  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

faith  was  in  lively  exercise,  producing  the  precious 
fruits  of  patience,  meekness,  resignation,  gratitude, 
and  love ;  all  of  which,  from  time  to  time,  were 
abundantly  manifested  in  her  words  and  actions,  to 
such  an  extent  as  could  not  be  expected  in  any  indi- 
vidual without  a  genuine  work  of  grace  upon  the 
heart.  Among  the  numerous  friends  that  called 
to  see  her  during  an  illness  of  six  months'  con- 
tinuance, very  few  ever  left  her  room  without  re- 
ceiving from  her  a  word  of  exhortation,  admonition, 
or  encouragement :  and  doubtless  the  good  seed  thus 
sown  sprung  up  in  many  hearts.  On  one  occasion, 
after  a  severe  paroxysm  of  coughing,  she  said  :  '  O, 
that  this  might  be  the  night  of  my  deliverance  ;  that 
I  might  fly  from  earth  and  sin  and  sorrow,  and  be 
at  rest  forever!'  Then,  checking  herself,  she  added, 
1  But  I  wait  the  Lord's  pleasure.'  On  Saturday,  the 
9th  of  April,  in  the  evening,  she  said,  ■  Such  a  sweet 
peace  came  into  my  mind  this  afternoon,  that  I  trust 
never  to  doubt  again  that  the  Lord  will  sustain  me 
to  the  end.'  " 

On  the  26th  of  April,  as  the  doctor  retired  from 
her  room,  she  overheard  him  say  that  she  had  failed 
much  since  he  saw  her  last.  Referring  to  this  soon 
after,  she  said,  "It  caused  joy  to  spring  up  in  my 
heart."  A  day  or  two  later,  she  said  to  a  friend,  "  I 
enjoy  a  sweet  prospect  of  deliverence  from  all  .my 
sufferings."  And  again,  "My  soul  is  blessed  of  the 
Lord — it  surely  is  ;  and  if  I  had  a  thousand  souls,  I 
would  trust  them  all  in  his  hands." 

On  the  morning  of  the  first  Sabbath  in  May,  she 
said,  "  I  am   feeble   in    body,    but   rejoice   in   spirit." 


SKETCH  OF  MRS.  MORRIS.  1 95 

She  then  knew  it  to  be  the  general  opinion  of  her 
friends  that  she  could  not  live  more  than  a  clay 
or  two  longer ;  and,  lest  her  strength  should  fail 
her,  she  that  day  had  the  family  called  to  her  one  at 
a  time,  and  gave  her  blessing  to  each,  charging  them 
severally  to  live  for  God,  and  meet  her  in  heaven. 
This  was  probably  one  of  the  most  moving  scenes  of 
the  kind  ever  witnessed.  She  said,  among  other 
things,  the  Lord  had  often  blessed  her  in  health  and 
in  sickness,  and  he  then  blessed  her  in  prospect  of 
death  ;  that  for  her  death  had  no  sting  ;  that  she  had 
never  felt  such  a  sense  of  the  goodness  of  God  be- 
fore ;  that  she  had  often  feared  the  affection  she  had 
for  her  family  would  render  it  difficult  at  last  to  give 
them  up  ;  but  she  thanked  God  that  his  grace  that 
day  had  enabled  her  to  do  it  willingly  and  cheerfully, 
and  leave  them  in  his  hands,  who  would  provide  for 
them  all  needful  blessings. 

In  the  evening  she  continued  in  the  same  happy 
frame  of  mind.  "  Sweet  heaven  !"she  exclaimed,  "  my 
happy  home !  O,  how  I  long  to  be  there  !  But  my 
Father's  will  be  done."  On  the  12th,  at  three  o'clock 
in  the  morning,  there  was  such  a  sinking,  coldness, 
and  difficulty  of  breathing,  that  she  herself  believed 
death  had  commenced  his  work;  and  when  asked 
how  she  felt  under  the  impression  that  she  was  so 
near  her  end,  the  reply  was :  "  I  feel  delightful.  Jesus 
is  my  everlasting  friend,  and  will  bear  me  safely 
through  the  dark  valley  of  death." 

On  Saturday  morning,  May  14th,  in  the  midst  of 
great  agony,  she  prayed  for  patience  to  suffer  all  the 
will  of  God.     After  severe  coughing  and  strangling, 


I96  LIFE  OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

she  said,  "It  will  soon  be  over;  blessed  be  God  for 
it  !  and  I  pray  that  the  chariot  of  salvation  may  not 
delay."  In  the  afternoon  of  that  day,  her  physi- 
cian, Dr.  Judkins,  to  whom  she  was  much  attached, 
called  to  see  her  for  the  last  time.  She  asked  him 
if  he  did  think  the  struggle  would  soon  be  over. 
On  his  making  an  affirmative  reply,  she  said,  with  a 
smile,  "That  is  good  news."  The  next  morning,  it 
being  the  Sabbath,  she  was  heard  to  say  :  "  O  Lord, 
thou  art  so  good  !  Precious  Savior !  Blessed  Re- 
deemer! O,  the  rich  fountain  of  redeeming  love,  in 
which  I  shall  soon  bathe  my  weary  soul  forever !" 
That  night  her  mind  became  wandering ;  in  which 
state,  for  the  most  part,  she  continued  till  Tuesday 
morning,  May  17th,  when  she  expired. 

Impressive  funeral  services  were  held  on  Thurs- 
day, the  19th,  in  the  Fourth-street  Methodist  Episco- 
pal Church,  Rev.  Leroy  Swormstedt  preaching  an 
appropriate  sermon,  from  the  words,  "  Into  thine 
hand  I  commit  my  spirit  ;  thou  hast  redeemed  me, 
O  Lord  God  of  truth."     (Psalm  xxxi,  5.) 

A  wife,  who  for  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  century 
shared  in  the  toils  and  privations  of  a  pioneer  itin- 
erant minister,  contributing  to  his  usefulness,  and 
cheering  him  on  when  his  own  heart  was  dismayed  by 
the  trials  and  toils  of  his  work,  is  entitled  to  occupy 
some  space  in  the  biography  of  her  husband.  We  pro- 
pose, therefore,  to  extend  this  sketch  of  Mrs.  Morris 
further,  by  glancing  at  those  traits  of  her  character 
which  seem  to  be  worthy  of  special  mention.  As  a 
wife  and  mother  she  was  faithfully  devoted  to  the 
interests  of  her  family.       She  sought  to  promote  the 


SKETCH  OF  MRS.   MORRIS.  1 97 

temporal  comfort  of  her  household.  For  public, 
obvious  reasons,  as  well  as  for  personal  comfort,  a 
minister's  house  should  be  well  kept,  and  arranged 
with  sober  taste.  No  place,  except  the  sanctuary, 
was  so  inviting  to  Mrs.  Morris  as  home.  There,  with 
her  children,  her  closet,  and  her  Bible,  she  was 
happy. 

She  was  consistent.  Her  manners,  her  conversa- 
tion, her  apparel,  her  conduct  in  every  relation,  and 
her  treatment  of  all  ranks  and  persons,  bore  the 
same  stamp  of  humility,  meekness,  and  benevolence. 
Probably  no  person  ever  succeeded  better  than  she 
did  in  suiting  her  dress  to  her  profession,  and  to 
the  station  she  filled  in  the  Church.  There 
was  a  peculiar  plainness  and  comeliness  in  her  ap- 
parel ;  and  happy  were  it  for  the  Church  now,  if,  in 
this  particular,  all  "  women  professing  godliness " 
could  imitate  her. 

Her  patience  was  wonderful.  To  estimate  it  aright, 
one  must  remember  how  long  and  how  severely  she 
suffered,  and  in  what  circumstances.  Her  husband 
far  away,  her  son  in  a  foreign  land,  and  she  almost 
in  despair  of  beholding  either  again  on  earth;  withal, 
possessed  of  the  liveliest  sensibility,  and  her  affec- 
tions gathered  around  these  absent  ones  with  a 
solicitude  indescribable,  while  her  bodily  pains  were 
excruciating.  Yet  she  was  patient.  On  one  occasion, 
when  a  friend  suggested  the  probability  of  her  decease 
before  the  return  of  her  husband  and  son,  she  was 
so  overwhelmed  with  sorrow  that  for  a  moment  she 
gave  free  vent  to  her  uncontrollable  grief.  Soon, 
however,  she  became  composed,  and  looking  up,  said, 


I98  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

in  a  subdued  tone,  "Well,  if  Mr.  Morris  can  do 
more  work  for  the  Church  by  my  deprivation,  I  shall 
try  to  be  resigned." 

She  was  an  intelligent  Christian.  She  studied  the 
Holy  Scriptures.  She  not  only  gave  the  Bible 
preference  over  all  other  books,  but  made  it  a  matter 
of  conscience  to  read  it  every  day  in  the  year.  If 
any  thing  unusual  occurred,  to  prevent  reading  the 
ordinary  lessons  of  the  day,  she  made  it  up  at  night, 
frequently  by  curtailing  the  hours  of  sleep.  This 
duty  she  performed  with  uncommon  delight  and 
profit.  There  are  very  few  private  Christians  as 
familiar  with  the  Bible  as  she  was,  being  able  to  turn 
at  once,  without  a  concordance,  to  almost  any  promi- 
nent text  in  the  Old  or  New  Testament,  and  to  quote 
hundreds  of  passages  from  memory.  About  seven- 
teen years  before  her  death,  while  agonizing  for  the 
blessing  of  perfect  love,  in  her  own  chamber,  she 
experienced  that  the  blood  of  Christ  "  cleanseth  from 
all  sin."  Though  she  never  made  a  public  profession 
of  the  grace  of  sanctification  prior  to  her  last  sick- 
ness, in  death  her  testimony  was  explicit,  and  she 
sent  an  affectionate  message  to  her  leader,  urging 
her  classmates  to  seek  this  full  salvation. 

Such  were  the  prominent  characteristics  of  a 
noble  woman,  wife,  and  mother,  whose  name  deserves 
to  be  perpetuated  with  that  of  her  husband. 

In  1842,  according  to  the  plan  of  episcopal  visita- 
tions, Bishop  Morris  presided  over  the  Pittsburg 
Conference,  at  Wheeling,  July  13th  ;  the  Erie,  at 
Cleveland,  August  2d  ;  the  Michigan,  at  Adrian, 
August  17th  ;  the  North  Ohio,  at  Delaware,  September 


DEATH  OF  HIS  DAUGHTER.  1 99 

7th  ;  the  Ohio,  at  Hamilton,  September  28th  ; 
the  Indiana,  at  Centerville,  October  19th.  On  his 
return  home  from  this  tour  he  found  his  only  daugh- 
ter, Mrs.  Jane  B.  Rust,  apparently  on  the  very  verge 
of  the  grave,  wasting  away  rapidly  under  the  in- 
sidious and  fatal  disease  that  had  so  recently  carried 
away  her  mother.  By  her  bedside  the  bereaved 
and  sorrowing  father  watched,  until  her  sufferings 
terminated,  November  30th. 

Mrs.  Rust  was  born  at  "Spicewood  Cottage," 
Cabell  County,  Virginia,  February  27,  181 5,  and  was 
baptized  the  same  year  by  Rev.  David  Young,  of  the 
Ohio  Conference.  Her  constitution  was  naturally 
feeble,  and  her  health  delicate,  all  her  life  ;  but  that 
did  not  materially  injure  her  mild  and  amiable  dispo- 
sition. Her  father  says,  in  a  biographical  sketch 
published  in  his  "  Miscellany :" 

"  She  was  as  steady  and  thoughtful  in  childhood 
and  youth  as  most  persons  are  at  mature  age.  The 
most  striking  features  of  her  character  were  meekness 
and  kindness.  When  only  five  years  old  she  read 
fluently  and  gracefully.  She  learned  her  lessons 
with  great  facility,  especially  such  as  were  committed 
to  memory,  and  being  always  diligent  in  preparing 
to  recite  them,  seldom  failed  to  stand  first  in  her 
class  ;  but  was  never  known  to  take  any  credit  or 
praise  to  herself  on  that  account.  When  Jane  left 
Science  Hill  Academy,  at  Sheibyville,  Kentucky,  in 
the  fifteenth  year  of  her  age,  she  had  acquired  all 
the  essential  elements  of  a  sound  and  useful  educa- 
tion, and  some  of  the  ornamental  branches,  and  bid 
fair  to  excel  in    literary  attainments.     The  state  of 


200  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

her  health,  however,  about  that  time,  rendered  it 
necessary  that  she  should  exchange  the  sedentary 
habits  of  student-life  for  the  more  active  employments 
of  the  domestic  household. 

"At  the  age  of  twenty-one  she  was  happily  mar- 
ried to  Mr.  Joseph  G.  Rust,  of  Cincinnati,  who  had 
been  pious  from  his  youth,  and  whose  natural  dispo- 
sition and  moral  habits  were  congenial  to  her  own. 
She  became  the  mother  of  three  children  ;  and  as 
she  had  been  a  most  affectionate,  dutiful  child  to  her 
parents,  so  she  proved  herself  to  be  a  faithful  wife, 
and  tender-hearted  but  judicious  mother. 

"She  commenced  seeking  a  change  of  heart  very 
earnestly,  as  near  as  I  can  recollect,  in  her  ninth  year, 
and  for  seven  years  missed  no  opportunity  of  going 
forward  to  be  prayed  for  when  circumstances  were 
such  as  to  allow  it.  She  became  a  member  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church  in  her  fourteenth  year, 
but  did  not  obtain  a  satisfactory  evidence  of  the  de- 
sired change  of  heart  till  about  two  years  after. 
Though  her  piety  was  uniform,  and  her  life  highly 
exemplary,  she  never  dealt  much  in  professions  of 
assurance  till  after  the  commencement  of  her  last  ill- 
ness ;  but  then  her  confidence  in  God  seemed  to 
gather  strength  in  proportion  to  the  increase  of  her 
affliction  and  prospect  of  death. 

"  The  last  letter  which  my  daughter  ever  wrote 
was  addressed  to  me  at  Delaware,  Ohio,  and  was  re- 
ceived during  the  session  of  the  North  Ohio  Confer- 
ence, from  which  the  following  is  an  extract :  '  My 
hand  shakes  so,  that  it  is  with  great  difficulty  I  can 
hold  a  pen.     I   am   very  glad   to   hear  that  you   are 


SKETCH  OF  MRS.   RUST.  201 

well,  and  are  sustained  under  your  arduous  labors.  I 
thank  you  kindly  for  all  your  letters,  and  especially 
for  the  first  one.  ...  I  have  read  it  many  times 
over,  and  still  it  always  interests  me.  I  have  been 
very  deeply  afflicted  since  you  left  home,  as  you 
know.  The  loss  of  our  dear  little  babe  was  a  great  trial 
to  me,  and  for  several  days  after  I  felt  as  if  I  could 
not  give  him  up  ;  but,  since  that,  I  feel  a  sweet  resig- 
nation to  the  will  of  the  Lord,  and  would  not  have 
him  back  for  asking.'  The  trembling  debility  appar- 
ent on  the  face  of  that  letter,  fixed  a  deep  and  pain- 
ful impression  on  the  father's  already  sorrowful  heart, 
because  it  indicated  too  plainly  that  her  feeble  con- 
stitution was  giving  way  under  the  influence  of  fatal 
disease. 

"  Returning  home  September  12th,  my  worst  fears 
were  fully  confirmed.  I  found  her  prostrated,  and  far 
gone  in  pulmonary  consumption  ;  but  patient  and  re- 
signed. She  said  to  me:  '  I  have  never  felt  like  mur- 
muring during  my  affliction.  The  Lord  has  been 
good  to  me  all  my  life.  He  blessed  me  wonderfully 
at  the  late  camp  meeting.  I  there  enjoyed  the 
preaching  much,  as  I  heard  it  while  lying  in  my 
tent.  And  such  singing  I  never  heard  before.'  In  a 
conversation  with  me  a  few  days  after,  she  remarked  : 
1  I  neither  look  back  nor  forward,  but  live  a  day  at  a 
time.  I  am  in  the  hands  of  the  Lord,  and  am  will- 
ing that  he  should  dispose  of  my  case.  If  I  get  bet- 
ter, I  shall  be  thankful  on  account  of  my  family  ;  but 
if  not,  the  Lord  will  support  me  to  the  end.' 

"  On  the  following  Sabbath,  she  was  exceedingly 
happy,  and  rejoiced  aloud,  exhorting  her  brother  not 


202  LIFE   OF  BISHOP   MORRIS. 

to  be  discouraged  in  seeking  religion,  for  he  had  a 
kind,  all-sufficient,  and  willing  Savior  to  go  to,  who 
was  ever  willing  to  hear  the  cries  of  the  penitent. 
The  next  day  she  told  her  physician  she  never  ex- 
pected to  be  much  better  ;  but  she  was  resigned,  for 
the  Lord  had  supported  her.  She  said  it  would  be  a 
trial  to  part  with  her  family  ;  but  she  trusted  the 
Lord  would  give  her  grace  to  resign  them  all  cheer- 
fully into  his  hands.  When  I  returned  from  the  Ohio 
Conference,  the  first  week  in  October,  I  found  her 
still  failing  under  the  wasting  influence  of  cough, 
chills,  fevers,  and  night-sweats,  and  fully  apprised  of 
her  certain  approach  toward  the  point  of  dissolution, 
but  strong  in  faith,  and  joyful  through  hope  in  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

"Monday,  17th,  she  said  to  me,  'I  am  determined 
to  trust  in  the  Lord,  come  what  will  ;  not  that  I  feel 
fully  prepared  for  heaven,  but  God  is  able  to  perfect 
that  which  is  lacking,  and  I  believe  he  will — bless  his 
holy  name!'  As  I  had  to  leave  next  morning  in 
the  stage,  at  three  o'clock,  for  the  Indiana  Conference, 
I  went  to  her  room  at  two  o'clock,  that  I  might  spend 
an  hour  with  her.  At  her  request,  I  prayed  with  her 
once  more.  She  was  deeply  affected,  but  rejoiced  in 
spirit.  In  my  absence  the  property  of  her  father-in- 
law  and  husband  was  destroyed  by  fire  ;  and  while 
the  fearful  conflagration  shed  a  glare  of  light  upon  her 
chamber-window,  she  thanked  God  she  had  a  more 
enduring  substance  beyond  the  ravages  of  the  de- 
structive element,  'an  inheritance  which  is  incorrupti- 
ble, undefiled,  and  that  fadeth  not  away  ;'  and  exhorted 
those  about  her  to  lay  up  their  treasure  in  heaven. 


SKETCH  OF  MRS.   RUST.  203 

"When  I  returned  from  Indiana  on  the  27th,  I 
found  her  disease  greatly  increased,  and  her  strength 
so  much  reduced  that  she  was  never  after  able  to  sit 
up  any  ;  but  she  was  still  patient  and  resigned,  pro- 
fessing to  feel  assured  that  the  Lord  cared  for  her, 
and  that  he  could  and  would  sustain  her.  When  her 
affliction  was  extremely  painful,  she  was  willing  to 
suffer  all  the  will  of  God,  and  would  not  dare  to  ask 
her  sufferings  less,  and  prayed  only  for  patience  to 
endure,  and  grace  to  support  her  under  them  ;  and 
when  they  were  mitigated,  she  would  express  much 
gratitude  to  her  Heavenly  Father  for  a  little  relief. 

"Sabbath  afternoon,  November  13th,  when  I  re- 
turned from  church,  she  said  to  me :  '  Pa,  this  has 
been  a  blessed  Sabbath  to  me  ;  I  have  enjoyed  a 
sweet  foretaste  of  that  Sabbath  which  never  ends.  I 
was  in  a  struggle  all  night  and  all  morning  for  a 
blessing,  and  got  rather  discouraged  ;  but  it  occurred 
to  me  the  Lord  could  bless  me  here  on  a  sick  bed 
as  well  as  if  I  was  in  the  church.  I  prayed  earnestly, 
and  he  did  bless  me  in  a  wonderful  manner.  I  never 
felt  so  happy  in  all  my  life.  I  felt  that  I  could  en- 
dure all  my  sufferings  cheerfully,  and  that  I  should  be 
a  conqueror  in  death,  through  the  blood  of  the  Lamb. 
I  used  to  feel  so  unworthy  that  I  scarcely  dared  to 
call  myself  a  follower  of  Christ  ;  but  he  has  forgiven 
me  all,  and  I  think  I  shall  never  again  be  tempted 
to  distrust  him.     He  will  support  me  to  the  end.' 

"Thursday,  17th,  just  six  months  from  the  day 
her  mother  died,  she  made  this  remark  to  me  in  the 
evening:  'Pa,  I  have  been  thinking  to-day  what  a 
happy  meeting  I  shall  soon,  have  with  ma,  where  we 


204  LIFE   0F  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

shall  range  the  blessed  fields  together,  and  on  the 
banks  of  the  river  shout  halleluiah  forever  and  ever. 
O,  what  a  blessed  thing  to  be  free  from  all  suffering 
and  sorrow  ;  and,  best  of  all,  to  see  Jesus  as  he  is, 
and  praise  him  as  we  ought!' 

"  On  Monday,  the  28th,  she  had  several  paroxysms 
of  strangulation,  in  which  we  thought  her  in  imme- 
diate danger  of  dying.  While  we  were  silently  wait- 
ing the  next  paroxysm  to  come  and  hurry  her  into 
eternity,  she  calmly  remarked,  'I  know  not  that  I 
shall  be  allowed  the  privilege  of  speaking  in  my  last 
moments,  but  I  wish  it  understood  that  I  am  perfectly 
safe  ;  that  God  does  and  will  accept  me,  not  for  any 
worthiness  of  my  own,  but  for  Christ's  sake,  and  will 
save  me  with  an  everlasting  salvation  in  heaven.' 
She  then  called  her  husband  to  her,  and  with  many 
expressions  of  gratitude  and  love  for  his  uniform 
kindness,  and  especially  for  waiting  upon  her  so  faith- 
fully and  cheerfully  in  her  sickness,  took  leave  of  him, 
adding  her  blessing,  and  commending  him  to  God. 
Next  she  called  her  father,  and  spoke  to  him  in  like 
manner;  then  her  mother-in-law,  pouring  out  a  full 
heart  of  grateful  affection  upon  her  ;  and  then  another 
sister,  whom  she  loved  much, — giving  to  each  suitable 
words  of  encouragement. 

"About  five  o'clock  that  evening  she  passed 
through  another  extreme  paroxysm  of  coughing  and 
strangling,  in  which  we  fully  expected  she  would  ex- 
pire ;  but  at  last  she  revived  so  as  to  speak,  and  said : 
'Jesus  is  with  me  !  Jesus  is  with  me  !  Jesus  is 
with  me  !  Death  has  no  sting  ;  the  grave  has  no 
victory  !     I    have    the   victory  through   Jesus  Christ, 


SKETCH  OF  MRS.   RUST.  205 

and  I  view  the  grave  as  a  sweet  resting  place  for 
my  body,  while  my  blood-washed  soul  will  rest  in 
paradise  !' 

"  Her  ill  turns  continued,  at  irregular  intervals, 
through  that  night  and  the  next  day.  In  an  un- 
usually severe  paroxysm,  which  occurred  on  Tuesday 
evening  about  five  o'clock,  she  appeared  to  be  beyond 
all  hope  of  living  through  it,  and  the  family  were 
called  in  to  witness  her  departure.  She,  however, 
revived  again,  after  a  very  long  and  painful  struggle, 
and  the  first  words  she  uttered  were  : 

"  'Yonder  's  my  house  and  portion  fair, 
My  treasure  aud  my  heart  are  there, 

And  my  abiding  home  ; 
For  me  my  elder  brethren  stay, 
And  angels  beckon  me  away, 

And  Jesus  bids  me  come.' 

"The  longest  and  hardest  struggle  of  the  kind 
occurred  on  the  same  evening,  at  half-past  six 
o'clock,  and  continued  till  we  really  believed  her 
spirit  was  in  the  act  of  departing;  insomuch  that, 
when  she  finally  recovered,  it  appeared  similar  to  a 
resurrection  from  the  dead.  If  it  were  in  my  power 
to  give  the  reader  a  just  idea  of  that  agonizing  and 
heart-rending  scene,  I  would  not  inflict  it  upon  him  ; 
and,  if  it  were  practicable,  would  obliterate  the  recol- 
lection of  it  from  my  own  mind.  At  the  commence- 
ment of  each  of  these  attacks,  she  expected  her 
release,  and  with  much  apparent  reluctance  returned 
again  to  life,  praying  most  earnestly  to  be  set  free. 
Indeed,  her  disappointment  in  not  obtaining  her  final 
deliverance  when  expected  was  the  most  difficult 
thing   to   be   reconciled  to  that    occurred   during   the 


206  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

whole  of  her  affliction  ;  but  grace  was  afforded  to 
secure  the  victory  over  this  also.  At  one  time  she 
remarked  :  '  You  thought  that  I  should  have  got 
home  before  now  ;  but  I  feared  the  news  was  too 
good  to  be  true.  However,  I  must  wait  patiently 
the  Lord's  time.'  The  last  paroxysm  so  prostrated 
her  strength,  and  was  followed  by  such  languor  that 
she  was  never  after  able  to  hold  a  regular  conversa- 
tion, though  she  lingered  till  next  morning,  November 
30th,  at  a  quarter  past  eight  o'clock,  speaking  a  few 
words  occasionally  of  her  friends,  and  of  the  goodness 
of  God,  and  frequently  repeating  the  prayer,  '  Lord 
Jesus,  receive  my  spirit  !'  and  then,  without  a  groan, 
or  any  distortion  of  features,  or  any  struggle 
whatever,  calmly  and  sweetly  slept  in  Jesus.' 

About  the  10th  of  December,  Bishop  Morris  began 
an  extra  tour  of  episcopal  visits,  laboring  in  pro- 
tracted meetings  as  follows  :  Madison,  Indiana,  ten 
days  ;  Vernon,  Indiana,  three  days  ;  Louisville,  Ken- 
tucky, three  weeks  ;  Jefferson ville,  Indiana,  one  week  ; 
Bardstown,  Kentucky,  one  week  ;  Shelbyville,  Ken- 
tucky, one  week  ;  Frankfort,  Kentucky,  one  week  ; 
Lexington,  one  week  ;  and  Maysville,  one  week. 
Such  excessive  toil,  added  to  travel  and  exposure  in 
a  very  severe  Winter,  brought  on  vertigo  of  the  head 
and  palpitation  of  the  heart  in  a  form  so  severe  that 
he  was  compelled  to  cut  short  the  circuit  of  his 
visitations  ;  and  though  he  continued  to  perform  his 
official  duties,  he  did  not  wholly  recover  from  the 
effects  of  the  attack  of  that  Winter  for  nearly  a  year. 

On  the  25th  of  March,  1843,  he  started  for  the 
East,     and     attended,    with     Bishop     Heckling,     the 


CONFERENCES  ATTENDED.  207 

Philadelphia  Conference,  at  Philadelphia,  April  5th  ; 
the  New  Jersey,  at  Trenton,  April  26th  ;  the  New 
York,  at  New  York,  May  17th  ;  the  Providence,  at 
Warren,  June  7th  ;  the  New  England,  at  Boston,  June 
28th  ;  and  the  Maine,  at  Bath,  July  19th, — sharing 
with  his  colleague  in  the  labors  and  responsibilites 
of  the  work.  While  at  the  Philadelphia  Confer- 
ence, the  sad  intelligence  of  the  death  of  Bishop 
Roberts  was  received.  Bishop  Morris  returned  to 
his  home  in  August,  and,  after  a  few  weeks  of  labor 
in  camp-meetings,  began  his  own  tour  of  episcopal 
labor,  presiding  over  the  Kentucky  Conference,  at 
Louisville,  September  13th  ;  the  Holston,  at  Abing- 
don, Virginia,  October  4th  ;  the  North  Carolina,  at 
Halifax  C.  H.,  Virginia,  October  25th;  the  Virginia, 
at  Richmond,  November  15th  ;  thence  by  way  of 
Baltimore  and  Wheeling  to  Cincinnati  again,  reaching 
home  about  Christmas. 

Early  in  January,  1844,  he  made  a  visit  to  St. 
Charles,  Missouri,  where  his  son,  Francis  Asbury, 
was  Professor  of  Languages  in  the  St.  Charles  Col- 
lege. While  on  this  visit  he  preached  frequently, 
both  in  St.  Charles  and  St.  Louis.  Returning  from 
Missouri,  he  again  left  home,  in  the  latter  part  of 
February,  for  the  East,  and  presided  over  the  Balti- 
more Conference,  at  Washington  City,  March  13th  ; 
the  Philadelphia  Conference,  at  Philadelphia,  April 
3d  ;  the  New  Jersey,  at  Trenton,  April  17th.  At 
Trenton,  he  met  his  colleagues  for  consultation,  pre- 
paratory to  the  memorable  General  Conference  of 
1844,  and  thus  closed  his  second  quadrennium  of 
episcopal  labor. 


208  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

GENERAL   CONFERENCE    OF   1 844 — DISCUSSIONS  ON  THE  SUB- 
JECT   OF    SLAVERY MARRIAGE LOUIS- 
VILLE   CONVENTION. 

THE  General  Conference  of  1844  met  in  the  city 
of  New  York  on  the  first  day  of  May.  It  was 
composed  of  one  hundred  and  eighty  delegates, 
representatives  of  thirty-three  annual  conferences. 
Bishops  Soule,  Hedding,  Waugh,  Andrew,  and  Morris 
were  present  at  the  opening,  and  on  the  second  day 
of  the  session  presented  their  Quadrennial  Address. 
Early  in  the  session,  the  subject  of  slavery  came  up 
in  a  way  which  seemed  to  preclude  the  possibility  of 
avoiding  decisive  action.  A  member  of  the  Balti- 
more Conference,  Rev.  F.  A.  Harding,  presented  an 
appeal  from  his  Conference,  which  had  suspended 
him  for  refusing  to  manumit  slaves  which  had  be- 
come his  property  by  marriage.  For  several  days 
this  case  occupied  the  attention  of  the  General  Con- 
ference, and  was  watched  with  intense  interest 
throughout  the  Church.  Earnest  and  eloquent 
speeches  were  made  on  both  sides  ;  but  the  final  vote 
approved  the  action  of  the  Baltimore  Conference — 
one  hundred  and  seventeen  to  fifty-six. 

The    case,    however,    which    caused    the   deepest 
feeling    on    both    sides    of   the   vexed   question,  and 


THE  ISSUE  STATED.  2C9 

ultimately  led  to  a  division  of  the  Church,  was  that 
of  Bishop  Andrew,  who  had  become  connected  with 
slavery  first  by  inheritance,  and  afterward  by  mar- 
riage. "  The  revelation  of  these  facts,"  says  Bishop 
Clark,  in  his  "  Life  and  Times  of  Heckling,"  "produced 
a  profound  and  painful  sensation.  In  other  instances, 
where  the  subject  of  Slavery  or  Antislavery  came  be- 
fore this  or  preceding  General  Conferences,  there  had 
always  been  some  mode  by  which  the  matter  could 
be  adjusted  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  great  body  of 
the  Conference  and  of  the  Church,  and  yet  so  as  to 
avoid  sectional  differences.  But  now  a  distinct 
issue  was  made  between  the  North  and  the  South. 
For  the  North  to  yield,  and  to  give  up  the  principle 
which  had  always  been  preserved  inviolate  from  the 
organization  of  the  Church — namely,  that  the  Episco- 
pacy should  be  kept  free  from  any  taint  of  slavery — 
would  have  been  not  only  disastrous  to  the  Church 
in  all  the  free  States,  but  also,  in  their  judgment,  an 
unwarrantable  sacrifice  of  moral  principle.  On  the 
other  hand,  the  South,  though  they  had  yielded  in 
former  years  when  only  the  election  of  men  to  the 
episcopal  orifice  was  concerned,  were  now  equally 
strong  in  their  convictions  that  for  them  to  yield  to 
the  deposition  of  a  bishop  because  he  had  become  a 
slaveholder,  would  be  disastrous  to  the  Church  in  the 
slave-holding  States.  In  fact,  they  had  come  to  a 
point  where  they  must  either  boldly  assert,  or  forever 
surrender,  the  principle  long  maintained  by  most  of 
them, — that  the  mere  fact  of  slave-holding  should 
constitute  no  impediment  to  any  official  station  in 
the  Church." 

18 


2IO  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

The  attention  not  only  of  the  Church,  but  of  the 
country,  was  arrested,  and  held  through  weeks  of 
painful  suspense,  while  the  discussion  of  this  great 
case  proceeded.  The  excitement  meantime  increased 
day  by  day,  as  the  full  magnitude  of  the  crisis  be- 
came more  apparent.  A  motion  was  pending  ex- 
pressive of  the  sense  of  the  General  Conference,  that 
Bishop  Andrew  should  desist  from  the  duties  of  his 
office  so  long  as  the  impediment  of  his  connection 
with  slavery  remained.  Speeches  of  remarkable 
ability  were  made  for  and  against  the  adoption  of  this 
motion.  On  the  29th  of  May,  the  previous  question 
was  moved,  but  failed  to  obtain  a  two-thirds  vote. 
Bishop  Hedding,  who  was  in  the  chair,  suggested  that 
the  Conference  intermit  its  usual  afternoon  session,  in 
order  to  afford  the  bishops  time  to  consult  together, 
with  a  view  to  present  a  plan,  if  possible,  for  adjust- 
ing the  difficulties  by  which  they  were  encompassed. 
This  suggestion  was  cordially  received,  and  the  dis- 
cussion of  the  pending  motion  was  postponed  until 
the  next  morning. 

On  the  following  day,  Bishop  Waugh  presented  a 
communication  from  the  bishops,  stating  that,  in  their 
judgment,  under  the  existing  circumstances,  a  de- 
cision of  the  pending  question,  whether  affirmatively 
or  negatively,  would  most  extensively  disturb  the 
peace  and  harmony  of  the  Church  ;  and  that  they 
unanimously  concurred  in  the  propriety  of  recom- 
mending the  postponement  of  further  action  in  the 
case  of  Bishop  Andrew  until  the  ensuing  General 
Conference.  They  further  expressed  the  conviction 
that,  if  the  embarrassments  of  Bishop  Andrew  should 


CASE   OF  BISHOP  ANDREW.  211 

not  cease  before  that  time,  the  next  General  Confer- 
ence, representing  the  pastors  and  people  of  the 
several  annual  conferences,  after  all  the  facts  in  the 
case  had  passed  in  review  before  them,  would  be  bet- 
ter qualified  to  adjudicate  the  case  wisely  and  dis- 
creetly than  the  body  then  in  session.  They  also 
suggested  that,  until  the  cessation  of  the  embarrass- 
ment, or  the  expiration  of  the  interval  between  that 
and  the  next  General  Conference,  such  a  division  of 
episcopal  work  might  be  made  as  would  fully  employ 
Bishop  Andrew  in  those  sections  of  the  Church  in 
which  his  services  would  be  acceptable. 

The  bishops,  in  making  this  proposition,  doubtless 
felt  assured,  and  perhaps  had  been  assured,  that  all 
impediments  in  the  way  of  Bishop  Andrew,  growing 
out  of  his  relation  to  slavery,  would  be  speedily  re- 
moved if  further  proceedings  in  the  case  were  stayed. 
The  question  was  laid  over  for  one  clay.  When  the 
subject  came  up  the  next  morning,  Bishop  Heckling 
withdrew  his  name  from  the  document.  He  said  he 
had  thought  it  would  be  a  peace  measure  ;  but  facts 
had  come  to  his  knowledge  which  led  him  to  believe 
that  such  would  not  be  the  case.  Bishop  Waugh 
said  he  considered  the  proposed  measure  as  a  last 
resort  to  promote  the  future  peace  of  the  Church  ; 
but  he  had  not  been  very  sanguine  upon  the  subject  ; 
and  if  it  failed,  he  should  not  be  disappointed.  Bishop 
Morris  said  he  wished  his  name  to  stand  on  that 
paper,  as  a  testimony  that  he  had  done  what  he  could 
to  preserve  the  peace  and  unity  of  the  Church.  The 
communication  of  the  bishops  was  finally  laid  upon 
the  table,  by  a  vote  of  ninety-five  to  eighty-four.    On 


212  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

Saturday,  the  first  day  of  June,  the  pending  resolu- 
tion was  passed,  by  a  vote  of  one  hundred  and  ten  to 
sixty-eight.  Against  this  action  the  Southern  dele- 
gates presented  an  elaborate  protest,  which  was  en- 
tered upon  the  journals  of  the  Conference.  Subse- 
quently, on  the  representations  of  some  of  the  Southern 
delegates,  a  Committee  of  Nine  was  appointed,  who 
reported  a  plan  of  separation,  to  take  effect  on 
receiving  the  sanction  of  the  annual  conferences,  if 
the  Southern  brethren  found  it  impossible  to  retain 
their  ecclesiastical  connection  with  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church.  The  final  result,  as  is  well  known, 
was  the  dismemberment  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church,  sixty  years  after  its  organization. 

The  General  Conference  of  1844  elected  two  ad- 
ditional bishops  (L.  L.  Hamline  and  E.  S.  Janes),  who 
were  solemnly  inducted  into  the  episcopal  office  by 
the  usual  services,  and  by  the  imposition  of  the  hands 
of  Bishops  Soule,  Hedding,  Waugh,  and  Morris,  on 
the  10th  of  June.  Bishop  Soule  eventually  separated 
himself  from  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  and 
became  connected  with  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church,  South. 

At  the  close  of  this  General  Conference,  Bishop 
Morris  returned  to  his  home  in  Cincinnati,  and  in  a 
few  days  proceeded  to  Louisville,  Kentucky,  where, 
on  the  25th  of  June,  he  was  married  to  Mrs.  Lucy 
Merri weather.  After  spending  a  few  days  with 
friends  in  Louisville  and  Cincinnati,  he  set  out,  ac- 
companied by  Mrs.  Morris,  for  the  seat  of  the  Rock- 
river  Conference,  Milwaukee,  Wisconsin.  On  reaching 
Milwaukee,  he   saw,  for    the   first   time,  a  newspaper 


CHARGE  OF  SLA  VEHOL  DING.  2 1 3 

article,  which  appeared  originally  in  the  Commercial 
Advertise)-,  of  New  York  City,  charging  him  with 
having  become  a  slaveholder  by  marriage,  and  a  slave- 
dealer,  whereupon  he  addressed  the  following  commu- 
nication to  that  journal  : 

"  Milwaukee,  July  23,  1844. 
"  Mr.  F.  Hall,  Editor  Commercial  Advertiser: 

"  Dear  Sir, — I  have  just  seen,  in  the  Albany 
Journal  of  the  12th  inst.,  an  article  headed  'Another 
Slaveholding  Bishop,'  and  credited  to  the  Commercial 
Advertiser,  which  is  highly  injurious  to  me  and  to 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  and  which,  I  hope, 
you  will  have  the  goodness  to  correct.  There  is  but 
one  truth  in  the  whole  article;  namely,  that  'Bishop 
Morris  has  married  a  widow  lady  in  Kentucky.'  The 
statement  that  she  is  possessed  of  slaves  is  incor- 
rect ;  and  the  report  that  I  executed  a  contract,  pre- 
vious to  marriage,  relinquishing  my  prospective  claim 
to  her  slaves  in  favor  of  her  child  by  her  former 
marriage,  is  wholly  false.  I  made  no  such  contract, 
no  such  relinquishment,  and  she  had  no  child,  as 
represented  by  the  writer,  to  be  a  party  in  such 
transaction.  The  only  connection  she  had  with 
slavery  was  nominal,  as  trustee  of  her  deceased  hus- 
band's estate,  under  a  will  which  secured,  ultimately, 
the  whole  of  it  to  her  step-son  ;  and,  according  to 
an  express  provision  of  the  will,  her  marriage  an- 
nulled the  trust,  and  severed  that  nominal  relation. 
Neither  my  wife  nor  myself  has  any  interest  in 
slave-property,  direct  or  indirect,  nor  has  either 
of  us  any  connection  with  slavery,  in  fact  or  in  form. 

"Yours,  respectfully,  Tho.  A.  Morris." 


214  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

This  communication,  which  was  published  by  the 
paper  to  which  it  was  sent,  and  copied  extensively, 
soon  silenced  the  reports  which  had  been  put  in  cir- 
culation concerning  the  bishop's  alleged  connection 
with  slavery.  His  wife's  former  husband,  Dr.  Merri- 
weather,  had  acquired  a  few  slaves  by  his  first 
marriage,  and  they  belonged  to  the  first  wife's  son. 
Mrs.  Morris  had  been  Dr.  Merriweather's  second 
wife.  She  had  no  children,  and  claimed  no  owner- 
ship in  the  slaves  ;  nor  had  she  any  connection  with 
them,  only  as  the  doctor's  will  made  her  one  of  the 
trustees  to  manage  his  son's  property  until  he  be- 
came of  age.  At  the  time  of  Bishop  Morris's 
marriage  to  Mrs.  Merriweather,  that  son  was  of  law- 
ful age,  married  and  settled,  having  in  his  own 
possession  all  the  slaves  and  other  property  left  him 
by  his  father's  will. 

At  the  close  of  the  Rock-river  Conference, 
Bishop  Morris  proceeded  to  Iowa  City,  where  the 
Iowa  Conference  met,  August  14th.  He  also  presided 
over  the  Illinois  Conference,  at  Nashville,  Washing- 
ton County,  September  4th,  and  the  Missouri  Con- 
ference, at  St.  Louis,  September  25th.  From  St. 
Louis,  Mrs.  Morris  returned  home  to  Cincinnati,  and 
the  bishop  commenced  his  journey  to  Tahlequah,  in 
the  Cherokee  Nation,  where  the  Indian  Mission 
Conference  commenced  its  first  session,  October  23d. 
The  trip  was  commenced  from  St.  Louis  on  the  4th 
day  of  October,  on  a  steamer  bound  for  Weston, 
far  up  the  Missouri  River.  During  the  Spring  and 
Summer,  the  whole  of  the  vast  table-lands  adjoining 
the    river,   except   a   few   elevated    points,   had    been 


THE  MISSO  URI  RIVER.  2 1 5 

swept  by  freshets  from  hill  to  hill.  Most  of  the 
fencing  and  many  of  the  farm-houses  had  been  de- 
stroyed ;  and,  instead  of  the  expected  crop  being  real- 
ized, the  rich  soil  was  washed  away,  or  left  covered  with 
a  layer  of  sand  from  twelve  inches  to  two  feet  deep. 
The  amount  of  property  lost  was,  of  course,  incalcu- 
lable. A  few  persons  were  seen  attempting  to  repair 
their  premises  ;  but  most  of  the  proprietors  appeared 
to  have  abandoned  them  in  despair. 

The  Missouri  River  now,  however,  presented  a 
very  striking  contrast  to  what  it  had  so  recently 
been.  It  was  so  low  as  to  render  navigation  ex- 
tremely difficult  and  hazardous  ;  but,  after  the  usual 
amount  of  sounding,  grounding,  floundering,  sparring, 
backing  off,  and  going  ahead,  a  safe  landing  was  made 
one  mile  below  the  mouth  of  the  Kansas,  and  four 
hundred  above  the  mouth  of  the  Missouri,  on  the 
ioth  of  October,  between  sunset  and  dark.  The  ten 
or  twelve  preachers,  who  had  started  from  St.  Louis 
in  company  with  the  bishop,  had  all  left  the  boat  at 
different  points  for  their  circuits  ;  so  that  he  found 
himself  entirely  alone,  on  the  border  of  the  Indian 
country,  without  guide  or  acquaintance,  with  lodgings 
to  hunt,  amid  the  deepening  shadows  of  night. 
Shouldering  his  luggage,  he  ascended  a  steep  hill,  on 
the  summit  of  which  he  found  a  new  cabin,  occupied 
by  Colonel  Chick,  who,  having  been  "washed  out" 
by  the  late  freshet,  had  sought  a  new  home  above 
high-water  mark.  The  bishop  was  very  cordially  re- 
ceived, and  kindly  entertained  by  the  colonel  and  his 
family  until  next  morning.  He  then  started,  on 
horseback,   to    the   Indian    Manual    Labor   School   in 


2l6  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

the  Shawnee  Nation,  seven  miles  distant,  where  he 
had  appointed  to  meet  a  party  of  missionaries,  to 
proceed  together  through  the  Indian  country  to  Con- 
ference. 

The  Indian  Manual  Labor  School  was  patronized 
by  several  tribes  ;  but  the  largest  number  of  scholars 
were  children  of  Shawnees  and  Dela wares.  Since 
the  establishment  of  this  great  central  school,  the 
small  schools  previously  connected  with  each  tribe 
had  been  discontinued,  though  their  respective  mis- 
sionaries continued  in  the  regular  missionary  work 
of  preaching  and  visiting.  The  students  varied  in 
age  from  ten  or  twelve  to  twenty  years,  and  num- 
bered about  one  hundred  and  fifty.  Bishop  .Morris 
witnessed  part  of  the  examination  exercises  at  the 
close  of  the  regular  term.  "Their  performance,"  he 
said,  "in  spelling,  reading,  writing,  geography,  com- 
position, and  vocal  music,  was  such  as  would  do 
credit  to  any  of  our  city  schools  in  the  United 
States."  Besides  obtaining  a  knowledge  of  books, 
the  boys  were  taught  practically  the  business  of 
agriculture,  while  the  girls  were  instructed  in  the 
domestic  arts  of  knitting,  spinning,  weaving,  and 
housekeeping  generally. 

The  mission-farm  was  extensive  and  productive, 
embracing  five  hundred  acres,  inclosed,  of  which 
three  hundred  were  well  cultivated,  and  the  balance 
in  grass  and  pasture,  the  whole  being  well  stocked 
with  cattle,  horses,  sheep,  hogs,  and  poultry.  Three 
native  buffaloes  added  to  the  variety,  if  not  to  the 
value,  of  the  live  stock.  There  was  also  connected 
with    the    Manual    Labor    School   a  steam  flour-mill, 


ENCAMPED  FOR  THE  NIGHT.  2  1 7 

capable  of  grinding  three  hundred  bushels  of  wheat 
per  day. 

On  Monday,  October  14th,  the  bishop  and  his 
company  started  for  the  Indian  Mission  Conference. 
While  some  of  the  party  on  horseback  steered  through 
the  border  settlements  of  Missouri,  Bishop  Morris 
and  three  others,  in  two  buggies,  took  the  military 
road  through  the  territory,  which  was  once  a  comfort- 
able road  for  a  new  country;  but  now  the  bridges 
were  generally  destroyed  by  freshets,  and  the  sloughs 
very  boggy,  which  rendered  the  traveling  difficult. 
The  company  in  which  the  bishop  traveled  consisted 
of  himself;  Rev.  L.  B.  Stateler,  Missionary  to  the 
Shawnees  ;  Rev.  Thomas  Hulburt,  late  of  the  Canada 
Conference,  and  Missionary  among  the  Chippewas  ; 
and  Rev.  E.  T.  Peery,  Superintendent  of  the  Indian 
Manual  Labor  School.  They  got  a  late  start  the 
first  day,  and,  after  traveling  about  twenty-five  miles, 
camped  for  the  night.  Their  tent  was  made  of  do- 
mestic cotton,  circular,  in  the  style  of  Northern 
Indian  habitations,  supported  by  one  center-pole,  and 
the  base  extended  by  cords  and  pegs.  In  this,  with 
buffalo-skins  for  beds,  and  buggy-cushions  for  pillows, 
they  slept  comfortably  and  securely. 

The  next  day  they  journeyed  about  thirty-eight 
miles,  camping  for  the  night  on  the  south  bank  of  the 
Mary  de  Zine,  in  a  quiet,  pleasant  place,  where  the 
only  interruption  of  their  slumbers  was  occasioned  by 
noises  which  arose,  now  and  then,  from  a  neighbor- 
ing camp  of  Potawatomie  Indians,  who  were  sojourn- 
ing there.  The  next  day  they  overtook  Rev.  Thomas 
B.  Ruble,  Missionary  among  the  Potawatomies,  and 

*9 


2l8  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

a  son  of  Chief  Boashman,  a  young  Indian  who  had 
been  educated  at  the  Manual  Labor  School,  become 
a  Christian,  and  was  now  acting  as  an  interpreter. 
Thus  re-enforced,  the  three  carriages  formed  quite  a 
respectable  procession.  Early  in  the  afternoon  they 
were  caught  in  a  north-eastern  rain-storm,  accom- 
panied with  high  winds,  which  rendered  their  open 
buggies  very  uncomfortable  for  the  time  being;  but 
they  pushed  on,  and  late  in  the  evening  reached  the 
Mamita,  near  Fort  Scott,  where  fuel  and  water  could 
be  procured,  and  where  they  pitched  their  tent  for 
the  night.  Calling  at  the  fort  next  morning,  they 
laid  in  a  supply  of  horse-provender,  having  been  noti- 
fied that  this  would  be  the  last  opportunity  for  the 
next  fifty  miles.  That  day  the  air  was  very  chilly, 
and  traveling  across  the  prairies  any  thing  but  pleas- 
ant. When  they  finally  reached  the  last  skirt  of 
timber,  on  the  Drywood  Fork,  though  early  in  the 
afternoon,  it  was  too  late  to  attempt  to  cross  the 
Big  Prairie,  twenty-three  miles  across,  and  they  halted 
for  the  night. 

The  next  day  they  set  out  early,  in  a  driving 
snow-storm,  and  encountered  the  first  real  suffering 
they  had  experienced  on  the  journey  thus  far.  On 
Saturday,  the  19th,  they  passed  through  the  Quapaw 
lands  and  the  Little  Shawnee  Village,  and  in  the 
evening  arrived  at  Mrs.  Adam's,  in  the  Seneca  Nation, 
where  they  were  kindly  received  and  spent  the  Sab- 
bath. The  religious  services,  held  in  the  house  of 
this  excellent  lady  on  Sabbath,  were  peculiarly  im- 
pressive. The  congregation  contained  about  sixty 
persons  only  ;  but  among  them  were  Senecas,  Stock- 


INDIAN  MISSION  CONFERENCE.  219 

bridges,  Shawnees,  Cherokees,  Africans,  Canadians, 
and  citizens  from  several  of  the  United  States.  Here 
the  Rev.  N.  M.  Talbott,  Missionary  among  the  Kick- 
apoos,  north  of  the  Kansas  River,  joined  the  party, 
and  all  proceeded  together,  Monday  morning,  to  Con- 
ference. 

On  Tuesday,  22d,  late  in  the  evening,  they  reached 
Tahlequah,  the  capital  of  the  Cherokee  Nation,  com- 
monly called  the  Council  Ground.  They  had  not  ex- 
pected to  find  much  of  a  city  here,  and  were  not 
disappointed.  The  National  Council  was  in  session. 
It  consisted  of  a  lower  house,  or  popular  branch,  of 
twenty-four  members,  and  a  senate  of  sixteen  mem- 
bers, occupying  a  very  ordinary  building.  The  im- 
pression made  upon  the  mind  of  Bishop  Morris,  by 
what  he  saw  and  heard  here,  was,  that  the  Cherokees 
were  making  progress  in  Christianity,  civilization,  and 
education,  and  that  they  might  do  well  in  their  new 
country  if  they  could  permanently  settle  their  inter- 
nal difficulties.  At  Tahlequah,  the  party  learned  that 
the  Conference  was  to  meet  in  Riley's  Chapel,  two 
miles  distant,  and  that  the  "headquarters"  of  the 
Committee  of  Reception  were  near  the  chapel,  at  the 
house  of  Rev.  Thomas  Bertholf.  They  reported 
accordingly,  and  were  soon  comfortably  provided  for 
in  the  neighborhood. 

The  Indian  Mission  Conference  commenced  its 
first  session  the  next  day,  Wednesday,  October  23d. 
The  Conference  included  seventeen  elders  (all  of  whom 
were  present  but  one),  six  deacons,  and  four  licenti- 
ates, all  tried  men  in  the  Indian  work.  About  one- 
fourth   of  them   were   native   preachers.      As   all   the 


220  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

work  of  this  Conference  was  missionary,  there  was  no 
trouble  about  popular  appointments  or  special  trans- 
fers. The  bishop  stationed  all  the  preachers  in  less 
than  two  hours,  and  had  no  occasion  afterward  to 
change  a  single  appointment,  nor  did  any  one  com- 
plain that  his  lot  was  hard.  The  little  band  of  heroic 
missionaries  were  living  and  working  together  in  the 
bonds  of  Christian  affection.  The  religious  exercises 
at  the  opening  of  each  day's  session  were  conducted 
in  English,  and  at  the  close  of  the  session  in  Choctaw 
or  Cherokee.  The  business  of  the  Conference  was 
completed  by  Saturday  evening,  and  on  Sabbath  the 
ordinations  took  place,  as  usual ;  two  of  those  ordained 
being  full-blooded  Choctaws,  one  of  whom  was  a  fine 
English  scholar.  Upon  the  whole,  the  bishop  was 
much  pleased  with  his  trip  and  visit  among  the  Indi- 
ans, and  concluded  that  the  missionary  appropriation 
employed  to  convert  the  Indians  from  sin  and  heath- 
enism to  Christianity  and  civilization  was  very  wisely 
used.  From  Tahlequah  he  proceeded  to  Little  Rock, 
where  the  Arkansas  Conference  met,  November  20th. 
Here,  on  Sabbath,  Bishop  Morris  preached  and 
ordained  ministers  in  the  Representatives'  Hall  of 
the  capital,  in  the  presence  of  the  governor  and  most 
of  the  members  of  the  Legislature,  which  was  then  in 
session.  From  Little  Rock  he  returned  home,  clos- 
ing up  a  year  of  extensive  and  perilous  travel,  and  of 
much  exposure  and  toil. 

During  the  months  of  March  and  April,  I045, 
Bishop  Morris  made  a  special  preaching  tour  through 
the  State  of  Kentucky,  visiting  Maysville,  Lexington, 
Frankfort,   Louisville,  and  many  intermediate  towns. 


LOUISVILLE    CONVENTION.  221 

This  trip  was  undertaken  with  a  view  to  promote 
harmony,  allay  sectional  feeling-,  and  do  something, 
if  possible,  to  prevent  a  division  of  the  Church.  Actu- 
ated by  these  feelings,  he  attended  the  Southern  Con- 
vention, held  in  Louisville,  in  May,  and  which  re- 
sulted in  the  organization  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church,  South.  His  own  somewhat  despondent 
record  concerning  this  effort  to  pour  oil  on  the 
troubled  waters  is:  "I  accomplished  nothing  except, 
perhaps,  to  involve  myself  in  suspicion  on  the 
part  of  my  brethren  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church.  Party  prejudice  proves  often  too  strong 
for  logic  or  facts.  You  may  reason  with  a  man's 
judgment,  but  not  with  his  passions,  either  in  the 
North  or  the  South." 

When  the  result  of  the  Louisville  Convention 
became  known,  the  five  remaining  bishops  in  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  at  a  regular  meeting, 
held  in  the  city  of  New  York,  July  2d,  came  to  the 
conclusion,  unanimously,  that,  under  all  the  circum- 
stances of  the  case,  they  would  not  be  justified  in 
presiding  in  any  of  the  conferences  thus  separated 
from  the  jurisdiction  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church.  Accordingly,  Bishop  Morris  relinquished 
his  Southern  route  in  favor  of  Bishop  Soule,  and 
presided  over  the  Fall  conferences  which  had  been 
assigned  to  Bishop  Soule  prior  to  his  withdrawal 
from  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  By  this  ar- 
rangement, Bishop  Morris  passed  over  nearly  the 
same  ground  as  the  year  previous,  holding  the  Rock- 
river  Conference,  at  Peoria,  August  20th  ;  the  Iowa, 
at  Burlington,  September  3d  ;  the  Illinois,  at  Spring- 


222  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

field,  September  17th  ;  and  the  Indiana,  at  Madison, 
October   8th. 

In  the  Spring  of  1846  he  performed  much  extra 
labor,  visiting  and  preaching  in  South-western  Ohio 
and  South-eastern  Indiana.  During  this  tour,  which 
was  made  in  a  buggy,  he  met  with  an  accident, 
which,  but  for  a  kind  Providence  over  him,  might 
have  resulted  very  seriously,  if  not  fatally. 

He  was  driving  on  the  National  Road  in  Indiana, 
and  had  just  passed  through  Lewisville,  between 
Cambridge  City  and  Knightstown,  when  he  came  to 
a  creek,  over  which  was  a  covered  bridge.  Having 
entered  the  bridge,  he  discovered,  when  nearly 
through  it,  a  long,  narrow  gangway,  thrown  from  the 
body  of  the  bridge  to  an  embankment,  as  a  tempo- 
rary means  of  passing,  which  looked  dangerous.  As 
it  was  too  late  to  retrace  his  steps,  and  his  horse  had 
always  appeared  gentle,  the  bishop  concluded  to 
make  the  attempt  to  cross  the  dilapidated  structure. 
When  about  half-way  across,  the  horse  became  fright- 
ened, and,  suddenly  wheeling  to  the  left,  went  over, 
carrying  the  buggy  and  driver  along  with  him,  a  dis- 
tance of  some  fourteen  feet.  Two  men,  who  witnessed 
the  accident  from  a  neighboring  field,  ran  to  the  spot 
immediately,  and  found,  to  their  great  surprise,  that 
the  occupant  of  the  buggy  was  neither  killed  nor 
injured,  having  received  neither  bruise  nor  scratch  on 
his  person.  The  buggy,  however,  did  not  come  off 
so  well,  being  considerably  damaged  by  the  upset. 
Fortunately,  the  mishap  occurred  near  a  town,  and 
the  vehicle  was  soon  ready  for  service  again. 

Bishop  Morris's  regular  episcopal  route  for   1846 


"HINTS  TO   YOUNG  MEN."  223 

embraced  Pittsburg  Conference,  at  Uniontown,  July 
1st;  Erie,  at  Akron,  Ohio,  July  29th;  North  Ohio, 
at  Ashland,  August  12th  ;  the  Ohio,  at  Piqua,  Sep- 
tember 2d  ;  and  the  Indiana,  at  Laporte,  September 
17th.  He  also  visited  the  Ohio  Wesleyan  University, 
at  Delaware,  during  the  year,  and,  at  the  earnest 
request  of  the  President,  Rev.  Dr.  Thomson,  delivered 
an  address  to  the  students,  the  substance  of  which, 
under  the  title  of  "  Hints  to  Young  Men,"  was  pub- 
lished in  the  Ladies  Repository,  in  1853.  A  few 
paragraphs  are  selected  : 

"  Whatever  lessens  our  natural  tendency  to  evil, 
or  increases  our  gracious  tendency  to  good,  should 
be  carefully  observed  and  diligently  practiced.  Bishop 
Taylor,  in  his  '  Rules  of  Holy  Living,'  says,  '  Manual 
labor  is  one  of  the  best  means  of  driving  the  devil/ 
Admitting  the  truth  of  this  principle,  which  is 
strictly  philosophical,  still  I  am  persuaded  that  men- 
tal labor  would  answer  the  same  purpose  just  about 
as  well.  Perhaps  both,  alternately,  would  be  still 
better.  While  idleness  is  emphatically  the  school  of 
vice,  cjose  application  of  the  mind  to  the  study  of 
literature  and  science  tends  to  sobriety  and  virtue. 
Experience  and  observation  both  lead  to  the  conclu- 
sion that  the  more  one  applies  himself  to  mental 
improvement,  the  more  gravity  of  character  he  ac- 
quires. Who  ever  knew  a  young  man  habitually 
studious,  and  really  desirous  to  become  respectable 
in  after  life,  to  violate  his  college  rules  ?  Plots  of 
mischief  and  insubordination  may  generally,  if  not 
universally,  be  traced  to  the  idle  and  vicious,  whose 
object  in  going  to  college  is  not  to  obtain  an  education 


224  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

and  prepare  for  usefulness  in  the  world,  but  to  in- 
dulge their  evil  propensity  for  frolic  and  mischief, 
and,  of  course,  to  annoy  and  embarrass  others  whose 
example  of  diligence  and  propriety  of  conduct  is 
a  reproof  to  evil-doers.  Thus,  while  it  is  truly 
said,  '  Idleness  is  the  devil's  workshop/  studious 
habits  promote  good  morals,  and  contribute  to  the 
formation  of  an  amiable  character. 

"Application  to  study  is  essential  in  another 
point  of  view.  Without  it,  no  one  ever  becomes  a 
critical  scholar,  or  a  great  man  in  Church  or  State. 
All  the  books,  teachers,  and  colleges  in  the  world 
can  never  make  us  learned  or  wise,  without  close, 
persevering  study.  These  may  assist  us,  but  the 
work  is  chiefly  our  own.  Every  learned  man,  in  this 
respect  at  least,  is  self-educated.  The  greatest  nat- 
ural ability  never  supersedes  the  necessity  of  severe 
mental  discipline,  unless  we  are  content  to  be  drones 
in  society.  If  any  individuals  ever  rise  to  an  ele- 
vated rank  in  the  learned  professions,  or  in  the  de- 
partment of  science  or  mechanism,  who  do  not  seem 
to  study,  their  cases  are  deceptive.  Whatever  they 
may  appear  to  be,  they  are,  in  fact,  hard  students, 
and  that,  too,  for  a  long  term  of  years. 

"  Even  such  as  have  risen  to  distinction  in  our 
country,  without  early  advantages  of  education,  have 
done  it  "by  training  their  own  minds,  in  after-life, 
with  unusual  diligence  and  untiring  perseverance. 
Of  course  I  do  not  allude  to  official  elevation,  which 
the  chances  of  party  political  conflict  may  confer  on 
unworthy  candidates,  but  to  meritorious  elevation  in 
general   estimation,  on  the  broad  ground  of  intrinsic 


"HINTS  TO  YOUNG  MEN."  225 

worth,  so  that  he  who  possesses  it  needs  neither 
prefix  nor  affix  to  the  name  his  mother  gave  him  to 
command  respect  from  his  contemporaries,  or  to  per- 
petuate his  fame  on  the  pages  of  history.  Whether 
our  object,  therefore,  is  to  avoid  evil  principles  and 
vicious  habits  on  one  hand,  or  to  secure  the  most 
desirable  objects  of  this  life  on  the  other,  well- 
directed  and  protracted  mental  effort  is  all-important. 

"Another  and  still  more  essential  means  of  secur- 
ing the  greatest  good  is  personal  piety.  This,  above 
all  things,  gives  proper  direction  to  the  mental  and 
moral  powers  of  man,  and  prepares  him  to  govern 
himself  and  be  useful  to  society.  Whatever  induce- 
ment an  irreligious  man  has  to  restrain  him  from  the 
way  of  sin  and  misery,  and  to  lead  him  in  the  path 
of  virtue  and  happiness,  the  Christian  has  likewise. 
Is  he  influenced  by  the  desire  of  knowledge,  the 
esteem  of  the  wise  and  good,  the  love  of  home,  com- 
petence, independence,  self-respect,  with  the  affection 
of  friends  and  confidence  of  all  ?  So  is  the  Christian. 
But,  in  addition  to  all  these,  the  religion  of  the  Bible 
holds  out  to  view  moral  considerations,  such  as  are 
unknown  in  human  ethics.  It  illuminates  our  dark 
understanding,  dispels  the  natural  ignorance  of  the 
human  heart  by  the  light  of  truth,  removes  its  stub- 
born hardness,  and  conquers  its  sinful  enmity  against 
God  by  the  soothing  accents  of  mercy  ;  inspires  the 
most  desponding  with  confidence,  and  relieves  their 
needless  fears  ;  rolls  off  the  burden  of  guilt  and  mis- 
ery;  sends  the  laboring  conscience  peace,  and  lights 
up  in  the  soul  the  fires  of  heavenly  love  and  joy. 

"While  'newness  of  life'  improves  all  the  refined 


226  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

sensibilities  of  our  nature,  it  arms  us  with  courage 
to  endure  with  manly  fortitude  the  numerous  ills  of 
this  probationary  state;  while  it  warns  us  that  death 
is  near,  it  prepares  us  to  die  in  peace  ;  while  it  points 
us  to  the  general  judgment,  it  whispers  in  the  ear  of 
confidence  that  the  Judge  is  our  best  friend,  and  that 
all  is  well.  If  the  apostle  of  Christ  showed  us,  in 
anticipation,  the  world  on  fire,  dissolving  the  elements" 
of  this  temporary  abode  of  man,  he,  at  the  same  time, 
assures  us  that  we,  'according  to  his  promise,  look 
for  new  heavens  and  a  new  earth,  wherein  dwelleth 
righteousness,'  to  the  exclusion  of  sin  and  misery, 
pain  and  death.  Surely,  that  heaven-born  religion 
that  warns  us  against  rebellion,  with  its  present  evils 
and  fearful  results  hereafter,  and  that  leads  us  in 
peace  and  safety  through  this  world  to  endless  bliss 
and  glory,  is  of  more  value  to  us,  even  here,  in  self- 
government  and  the  formation  of  character,  than  all 
of  worldly  wisdom  and  its  delusive  hopes." 

In  1847,  Bishop  Morris  left  home  in  February,  for 
Philadelphia,  to  attend,  in  that  city,  the  regular  annual 
meeting  of  the  bishops.  He  afterward  assisted  his 
colleagues  at  the  Baltimore  Conference,  in  Washing- 
ton ;  the  Philadelphia  Conference,  at  Wilmington, 
Delaware  ;  the  New  England  Conference,  at  Lynn  ; 
and  the  New  York  Conference,  at  Allen-street,  New 
York. 

His  own  episcopal  circuit  that  year  embraced  the 
Troy  Conference,  at  Albany,  May  26th  ;  the  Black- 
river,  at  Malone,  June  16th  ;  the  Oneida,  at  Bing- 
hampton,  July  21st ;  the  Genesee,  at  Geneva,  August 
25th  ;   and    the    Michigan,   at    Ypsilanti,    September 


FAST-DA  Y  SERMON.  227 

15th.  He  reached  home  from  this  tour  late  in  Sep- 
tember, and  in  a  few  days  set  out  on  an  extra  jour- 
ney through  Ohio,  "holding  forth  the  word  of  life" 
in  Dayton,  Piqua,  Portsmouth,  Chillicothe,  and  Hills- 
boro.  Referring  to  his  visit  at  the  latter  place,  he 
says :  "An  extraordinary  storm,  freshet,  and  freeze 
blockaded  me  at  Hillsboro  several  days,  all  roads 
being  impassable.  Finally,  with  much  difficulty  and 
peril,  I  returned  to  Chillicothe,  where  I  was  stopped 
nearly  a  week  longer,  because  the  bridges  were  swept 
away,  and  the  streams  impassable.  At  length  I  suc- 
ceeded in  reaching  Portsmouth,  where  I  sat  up  two 
nights  watching  for  boats,  which  were  laid  up  because 
the  fuel  was  all  swept  off.  On  reaching  home,  I 
learned  that  my  wife  was  water-bound  in  Louisville, 
and  put  off  after  her.  We  arrived  there  at  two  o'clock 
in  the  morning  ;  could  not  land  at  the  usual  place, 
but  made  fast  some  distance  below;  got  into  a  yawl 
covered  with  ice,  and  rowed  to  another  boat ;  climbed 
up  over  her  high  deck,  and  thence,  by  a  single  plank 
extended  from  the  boat  to  the  window  of  a  warehouse, 
we  passed  through  a  long,  dark  room,  literally  feel- 
ing our  way  to  the  street." 

In  view  of  the  unhappy  strife  which  had  resulted 
from  the  "great  secession"  of  1845,  and  the  impor- 
tance of  the  action  of  the  ensuing  General  Confer- 
ence, the  bishops,  at  their  meeting  in  the  Spring  of 
1848,  unanimously  and  earnestly  recommended  that 
Friday,  April  28th,  be  observed  throughout  the 
Church  as  a  day  of  humiliation,  fasting,  and  prayer. 
Bishop  Morris  preached  a  sermon  on  that  day,  in 
Alleghany  City,  Pennsylvania,  from  Matthew  ix,  15; 


228  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

"And  Jesus  said  unto  them,  Can  the  children  of  the 
bride  chamber  mourn,  as  long  as  the  bridegroom  is 
with  them  ?  But  the  days  will  come,  when  the  bride- 
groom shall  be  taken  from  them,  and  then  shall  they 
fast."  This  able  discourse  was  afterward  remodeled, 
and  appeared  in  the  Methodist  Quarterly  Review  as 
an  article  on  the  "  Duty  of  Fasting." 

He  also  wrote  the  following,  apparently  for  private 
and  personal  use,  on  that  day  : 

"i.  I  am  this  day,  April  28th,  1848,  fifty-four  years 
old.  Millions  born  after  have  died  before  me,  while 
my  life  and  health  are  still  perpetuated,  a  subject  of 
distinguished  mercy. 

"  2.  All  I  have  and  all  I  am,  except  sin  and  mis- 
ery, I  owe  to  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  under 
God.  May  I  never  prove  recreant  to  her,  nor  ungrate- 
ful to  Him  ! 

"  3.  Having  been  a  member  nearly  thirty-five 
years,  and  a  traveling  preacher  more  than  thirty-two 
years,  though  much  of  the  time  unfaithful  and  unprof- 
itable, I  am  fully  satisfied  there  is  no  Church  which 
affords  more  helps  to  piety  in  this  world,  or  a  better 
prospect  of  gaining  heaven  in  the  end,  than  the  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  Church. 

"4.  Since  the  separation  of  the  Southern  confer- 
ences, the  peace  of  the  Church  has  been  much  dis- 
turbed by  angry  controversy  on  both  sides  of  the 
line.  Many  difficult  questions  remain  unsettled  ; 
much  trouble  may  be  expected  during  and  after  the 
General  Conference  of  1848.  O,  for  heavenly  wisdom 
and  Christian  forbearance!  Help,  Lord!  for  vain  is 
the  help  of  man  without  thy  blessing. 


BIRTHDAY   THOUGHTS. 


229 


"5.  The  doings  of  the  approaching  General  Con- 
ference will  exert  a  powerful  influence  for  weal  or 
woe  upon  the  interests  of  Protestant  Christianity  in 
general,  and  especially  upon  those  of  Methodism  in 
the  United  States.  To  this  crisis  I  have  long  looked 
as  the  day  of  conflict  and  trial,  from  which  none  but 
God  can  deliver  us.     May  he  deliver! 

"6.  To  this  end  may  we  all  confess  our  sins  to 
him,  and  forsake  them,  and  consecrate  ourselves  anew 
to  the  service  and  cause  of  Christ,  that  we  may  build 
up  and  not  destroy  the  household  of  faith  ! 

"7.  It  is  a  time  that  calls  for  firmness  and  mod- 
eration. 'United  we  stand,  divided  we  fall.'  ~No  dif- 
ference of  opinion  respecting  Church  polity  should 
divide  us,  unless  it  be  such  as  to  involve  conscience 
or  a  sacrifice  of  moral  principle.  Here  I  take  my 
stand.  The  brethren  may  do  what  they  will,  pro- 
vided they  do  not  require  me,  against  my  conscience 
and  principles,  to  participate  in  measures  ruinous  to 
the  peace  of  the  Church  and  dangerous  to  the  coun- 
try, and  I  am  with  them.  Beyond  this  point,  how 
could  I  go  ?     May  I  not  be  put  to  the  trial  ! 

"T.  A.  Morris. 
"Pittsburg,  April  28,  1848." 


230  LIFE    OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 


CHAPTER   X. 

GENERAL  CONFERENCE  OF    1 848 — DIVISION  OF  THE  METHOD- 
IST EPISCOPAL  CHURCH — EPISCOPAL  TOURS. 

THE  Tenth  Delegated  General  Conference  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church  assembled  in 
Liberty-street  Church,  in  the  city  of  Pittsburg,  May 
1,  1848.  Bishops  Hedding,  Waugh,  Morris,  Hamline, 
and  Janes  were  present.  The  Conference  was  com- 
posed of  one  hundred  and  fifty-one  delegates,  repre- 
senting twenty-three  annual  conferences.  The  ses- 
sion was  opened  in  the  usual  form  by  Bishop 
Hedding. 

On  the  second  day,  while  Bishop  Morris  was  in 
the  chair,  the  first  complaint  ever  made  against  his 
episcopal  administration  was  formally  presented  by  a 
delegate  of  the  Illinois  Conference.  It  related  to 
the  affairs  of  Ebenezer  Church,  in  St.  Louis,  Mis- 
souri, and  is  substantially  embraced  in  the  following 
extract  from  the  memorial  of  the  members  of  that 
society : 

"We  complain  that  we  were  not  only  not  pro- 
tected, nor  in  any  way  recognized,  but  that  the 
episcopal  influence  and  patronage  were  used  against 
us.  We  refer  here  to  a  private  letter  from  Bishop 
Morris    to    the    then    pastor   of   Centenary    Church, 


COMPLAINT  PRESENTED.  2$  I 

whose  zeal  for  the  new  Church,  since  his  affiliation 
with  the  South  at  Louisville,  has  been  remarkable. 
This  letter  was  read  previous  to  the  final  vote  being 
taken  by  the  societies,  and  was  brought  to  bear  in 
favor  of  the  Southern  organization,  deterring  the 
timid  from  remaining  in  the  Church  of  their  choice  ; 
being  assured,  on  the  authority  of  said  letter,  that, 
if  we  did  not  join  the  Church  South,  we  could 
not  be  Methodists,  nor  have  any  preachers  sent 
us.  We  addressed  a  statement  of  our  grievances 
to  the  above  bishop,  at  the  Rock-river  Conference, 
in  September,  1845  ;  we  reasoned  and  argued  our 
cause  with  him,  as  peculiar  and  oppressive  —  that 
some  two  or  three  hundred  members,  lovers  of 
the  old  landmarks  of  the  Church,  for  no  offense, 
should  be  sacrificed  upon  a  Southern  altar  as  a 
peace-offering.  We  only  asked  for  relief  or  protec- 
tion for  the  free  exercise  of  the  right  of  private 
judgment  ;  to  which  the  bishop  replied  promptly  and 
peremptorily,  calling  our  attention  to  the  '  Plan  of 
Separation/  and  informing  us  that  there  was  no 
provision  made  for  minorities." 

This  memorial,  after  some  discussion,  was  referred 
to  the  Committee  on  Episcopacy.  As  to  the  refusal 
of  Bishop  Morris  to  recognize  and  appoint  a  preacher 
to  the  minority  of  a  charge,  after  the  majority  had  voted 
to  go  into  the  Southern  organization,  it  is  plain  that 
he  could  not  have  done  otherwise  under  the  then  ex- 
isting "  Plan  of  Separation."  The  only  point  in  the 
complaint  that  really  impeached  the  administration, 
in  the  case  of  the  Ebenezer  Church,  was  the  alleged 
letter  "  To  the   then    Pastor  of  Centenary   Church." 


232  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

Now,  it  happened,  providentially,  that  the  pastor  re- 
ferred to — Rev.  Joseph  Boyle — was  in  Pittsburg,  as  a 
visitor,  during  the  first  days  of  the  General  Confer- 
ence, and  was  present  when  the  complaint  against 
Bishop  Morris  was  presented.  His  testimony,  con- 
cerning the  letter  said  to  have  been  written  to  him, 
is  contained  in  the  following  communication  : 

"  Bishop  Morris, — Dear  Brother:  In  reply  to 
your  verbal  inquiry  whether  the  pastor  of  the  Cen- 
tenary Church,  in  the  city  of  St.  Louis,  Missouri, 
received  a  letter  from  you,  in  1845,  in  relation  to  the 
division  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  which 
was  used  by  him  to  influence  the  members  of  said 
charge  to  adhere  South,  I  would  say : 

"  1.  That  I  was  pastor  of  the  Centenary  Church, 
in  St.  Louis,  in  1845. 

"  2.  That  no  such  letter  was  received  by  me  from 
you,  either  in  1845,  or  at  any  other  time. 

"3.  That  no  letter,  purporting  to  come  from  you 
to  me,  was  read  to  the  members  of  Centenary  Church. 
11  Yours,  affectionately,  Jos.  Boyle. 

"Pittsburg,  May  11,  1848." 

On  the  18th  clay  of  May,  the  Committee  on 
Episcopacy,  through  Rev.  P.  P.  Sandford.  Chairman, 
presented  the  following  report,  which  was  adopted  : 

"The  Committee  also  had  under  consideration  a 
complaint  against  the  administration  of  Bishop 
Morris,  and  adopted  the  following  as  their  opinion 
on  the  subject : 

"The  Committee  on  Episcopacy,  to  whom  was 
referred    so    much    of    the    memorial    from    adhering 


OFFICIAL    TOUR.  233 

members  of  the  Ebenezer  Church,  St.  Louis,  as 
referred  to  a  certain  letter  said  to  have  been  written 
by  Bishop  Morris  to  the  preacher  in  charge  of  the 
Centenary  Church,  St.  Louis,  have  had  the  same 
under  consideration,  together  with  other  matters  con- 
nected therewith,  and  have  been  presented  with  a 
letter  from  said  preacher  in  charge,  dated  Pittsburg, 
May  11,  1848,  certifying  that  no  such  letter  was  ever 
received  by  him  ;  wherefore, 

"Resolved,  That  there  is  no  cause  of  complaint 
against  the  administration  of  Bishop  Morris  in  that 
matter." 

The  General  Conference  of  1848  was  regarded 
with  profound  interest  throughout  the  Church.  The 
ecclesiastical  connection  between  the  North  and  the 
South  had  been  severed  by  the  action  of  the  Louis- 
ville Convention  ;  and  much  confusion,  and  no  little 
ill-feeling,  had  resulted,  especially  on  what  was  called 
"  the  border."  As  the  first  General  Conference  suc- 
ceeding the  organization  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church,  South,  its  proceedings  were  every-where 
watched  with  the  greatest  anxiety.  *'  Its  delibera- 
tions," says  Bishop  Clark,  in  his  "  Life  and  Times  of 
Hedding,"  "  were  conducted  with  universal  care  and 
discretion,  and  the  results  attained  have  tended  pow- 
erfully to  harmonize  and  strengthen  the  Church." 

Bishop  Morris's  official  tour,  in  1848,  included 
the  Wisconsin  Conference,  just  organized,  which  held 
its  first  session  in  Southport,  July  12th  ;  the  Rock- 
river  Conference,  at  Belleville,  August  2d;  and  the 
Indiana  Conference,  at  New  Albany,  October  4th. 

Some   extracts    from    the  bishop's  account  of  his 

20 


234  LII'E   0F  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

trip  to  the  North-west,  this  year,  will  be  read  with 
interest : 

"At  eight  o'clock,  A.  M.,  June  28th,  our  train 
cleared  the  narrows  of  Fulton,  with  its  world  of 
lumber  and  clattering  machinery.  In  a  few  minutes 
we  were  gliding  amidst  the  shadows  of  lofty  forest- 
trees,  along  the  fertile  valley  of  the  Little  Miami 
River,  enlivened  by  birds  of  various  notes  and  flowers 
of  every  hue.  How  delightful  the  change !  The 
stillness  of  the  country  contrasts  pleasantly  with  the 
bustle  of  a  crowded  city.  Riding  in  an  elegant  car, 
even  at  the  moderate  speed  of  fifteen  miles  an  hour, 
is  quite  as  agreeable  as  spinning  street-yarn  on  fooC 
over  burning  hot  bricks  and  stone,  employing  one 
hand  in  supporting  an  umbrella,  and  the  other  in 
relieving  the  eyes  from  dust  and  perspiration. 

"We  could  not  have  selected  a  more  pleasant 
time  for  our  flight  across  the  State  of  Ohio.  The 
growing  fields  of  Indian  corn  were  spread  out  before 
us  in  richest  verdure.  The  fields  of  golden  wheat — 
some  waving  in  the  gentle  breeze,  some  falling  before 
the  sweeping  "cradle,"  and  others  arranged  in  clus- 
tering shocks  ;  all  indicating  the  greatest  abundance — 
presented  a  cheerful  appearance  to  the  passing  trav- 
eler. Farm-houses,  factories,  and  fresh-looking  vil- 
lages were  passed  in  quick  succession,  till  we  halted 
for  dinner  at  Springfield,  eighty-five  miles  from  the 
city.  From  this  to  Urbana,  fourteen  miles,  the  rail- 
road was  not  quite  completed,  but  in  rapid  progress. 
Stages  were  ready  to  convey  the  passengers  and 
their  baggage.  They  put  us  through  to  Urbana  in 
an  hour  and  three  quarters,  where  we  slept  comfortably 


ON  THE  WING.  235 

at  the  house  of  our  much-respected  friend,  Judge 
Reynolds,  while  the  crowd  passed  on  in  the  night- 
train. 

"  Next  day,  we  took  the  morning  train,  affording 
us,  among  other  pleasures,  a  full  view  of  the  wild 
meadows,  or  savannas,  of  Champaign.  County,  inter- 
spersed with  lucid  streams  and  fragrant  flowers,  and 
swarming  with  horned  cattle,  colts,  and  lambs,  con- 
tentedly cropping  the  luxuriant  herbage.  Another 
object  of  interest,  that  day,  was  the  Wyandot  Reser- 
vation. The  dust  of  their  fathers  and  noble  chiefs 
slept  there  ;  but  the  remnant  of  their  broken  tribe 
were  beyond  the  Kansas.  What  was  recently  their 
hunting-ground,  and  more  recently  a  mission-station, 
is  now  visibly  changing  into  cultivated  fields  and 
flourishing  villages.  How  rapidly  the  aboriginals  of 
America  are  wasting  before  the  march  of  civilization! 
Already  scattered  and  peeled,  in  a  few  centuries 
more  they  will  be  numbered  among  the  nations  that 
have  been,  and  are  not.  Surely,  as  Christians  and 
patriots,  we  owe  them  a  debt  of  kindness. 

"  On  Friday,  a  small  steamboat  brought  us  to 
Detroit  in  seven  hours.  The  scenery  on  the  lake, 
among  the  islands, 'and  along  the  Detroit  River,  was 
imposing.  At  Maiden,  on  the  Canada  shore,  we 
landed  to  put  some  Indians  out.  They  were  from 
Missouri,  and  brought  with  them  two  young  prairie- 
wolves,  coupled  together  in  leading-strings,  which 
attracted  as  much  attention  as  their  owners.  On 
reaching  Detroit,  we  stopped  at  the  National  Hotel  ; 
but  the  Hon.  Ross  Wilkins  soon  called  for  us  with 
his  carriage,  and  removed  us  to  his  own  quiet  home. 


236  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

He  is  the  Associate  Judge  of  the  United  States 
Court  for  the  State  of  Michigan  and  a  local  minister 
of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  and  no  drone  in 
either  office  ;  for,  after  sitting  all  the  week  on  the 
bench  with  Judge  M'Lean,  he  preached  twice  in  the 
country  on  Sabbath,  met  class,  felt  refreshed  in  spirit, 
and  was  ready  to  resume  court  business  on  Monday 
morning.  The  Sabbath  brought  us  abundant  priv- 
ileges, and  passed  off  pleasantly. 

"After  waiting  the  arrival  of  our  boat  all  night, 
in  a  state  of  preparation  to  move  on  the  shortest 
notice,  our  coachman  called  for  us  about  four  o'clock 
in  the  morning,  and  hurried  us  on  board  of  the  Ni- 
agara, just  in  from  Buffalo,  and  bound  for  Chicago  ; 
but  they  soon  got  over  their  hurry,  and  did  not  slip 
cable  till  half-past  six.  That  day,  we  took  it  leisurely 
through  Detroit  River,  the  Flats,  Lake  St.  Clair,  and 
St.  Clair  River,  stopping  two  hours  at  one  place  for 
wood,  and  as  long  at  another  for  coal,  preparatory  to 
the  long  runs  ahead.  Late  in  the  afternoon,  how- 
ever, we  cleared  Gratiot,  and  bore  northward  on  the 
broad  bosom  of  Lake  -Huron.  We  had  hoped  to  see 
the  sun  as  he  hid  himself  amid  the  waters,  but  a 
heavy  bank  of  clouds,  nearly  stationary  in  the  west- 
ern horizon,  obscured  him,  and  changed  the  appear- 
ance of  the  lake  from  a  bright  sky-blue  to  that  of  a 
somber  purple. 

"As  night  fell  upon  us,  grave  thoughts  intruded 
themselves, — three  hundred  souls  aboard,  with  only  a 
few  inches  of  timber  between  them  and  a  sheet  of 
water  two  hundred  and  twenty  miles  long  and  one 
hundred  and    seventy-five   broad,   with    the    ordinary 


ABOARD  THE  STEAMBOAT.  237 

risk  of  collision,  explosion,  and  fire.  The  visions  of 
other  years  came  up,  and*  among  them  the  Eurocly- 
don  with  which  Paul  and  his  fellow-voyagers  had  to 
contend,  on  his  way  to  Rome  as  a  prisoner  in  chains 
for  the  faith  of  Christ.  In  that  storm  no  sun,  moon, 
or  stars  appeared  for  fourteen  days,  during  which  time 
they  labored,  prayed,  and  fasted,  till  Paul  assured 
them  there  should  be  no  loss  of  life,  but  only  of  the 
vessel  and  cargo,  for  which  he  gave  a  satisfatory 
reason  :  'For  there  stood  by  me  this  night  the  angel 
of  God,  whose  I  am,  and  whom  I  serve,  saying,  Fear 
not,  Paul  ;  thou  must  be  brought  before  Caesar;  and, 
lo  !  God  hath  given  thee  all  them  that  sail  with  thee.' 
What  a  relief  in  their  extremity !  And  how  comfort- 
able our  condition  in  comparison  with  their  perilous 
one, — all  at  liberty,  all  well,  on  board  a  noble  steamer, 
well  manned  and  provisioned,  walking  like  a  thing  of 
life  on  the  smooth  surface,  and  affording  all  the  lux- 
uries of  life  !  Of  course  we  had  much  to  comfort,  and 
but  little  to  render  us  discontented. 

"  The  voyage  of  the  lakes,  from  Buffalo  to  Chi- 
cago, is  one  thousand  and  seventy-five  miles.  The 
Niagara  was  a  new  boat  of  the  line,  on  her  sixth  trip, 
and  perhaps  nearly  equal  in  speed  and  strength  to 
any  other.  On  the  lower  deck  were  crowds  of  for- 
eigners, with  their  piles  of  chests  and  movables, 
figuring  in  quaint  costume,  and  making  their  first 
observations  upon  America,  to  whom  every  thing 
appeared  to  be  novel,  but  not  unpleasant.  In  the 
cabin  were  men  of  leisure  and  pleasure,  with  their 
families,  seeking  new  sources  of  enjoyment — men  of 
business,    intent    on    its    accomplishment ;    invalids 


238  LIFE   OF  BISHOP   MORRIS. 

traveling  for  health  ;  peddlers  of  books  and  maps  ; 
tourists  exploring  new  States  ;  ministers  and  agents, 
on  ecclesiastical  business;  and  smoking,  loquacious 
politicians — some  promenading  the  deck  in  solitude, 
some  clustered  together  in  social  chit-chat,  others 
attracted  by  the  sound  of  music  and  song. 

"After  the  tea-table  was  removed,  the  headquar- 
ters of  amusement  seemed  to  be  the  ladies'  cabin, 
where  many  assembled  for  the  purpose  of  killing 
time,  which  hung  heavily  upon  them.  The  moving 
agent  of  the  whole  operation  was  a  son  of  Ham, 
patting  his  foot  and  drawing  a  horse-hair  across  a 
piece  of  cat-gut,  which  made  a  kind  of  screaking 
noise.  He  must  have  been  a  captain  ;  for  as  soon 
as  he  commenced  tossing  his  head  about,  and  moving 
his  right  arm  to  and  fro,  though  he  gave  no  other 
signal  or  word  of  command,  a  number  of  individuals 
rose  to  their  feet,  commenced  running  past  each 
other,  and  facing  about,  with  a  regular  step  to 
Sambo's  violin.  The  characters  under  the  influence 
of  his  enchantment  were  diversified, — boys  and  misses, 
dandies  and  flirts,  men  and  women.  But  one  who 
witnessed  the  affair  declared  that  the  commander  of 
our  boat  beat  them  all  ;  that  he  was  the  best  dancer 
among  them  ;  and  no  one  seemed  disposed  to  dispute 
the  fact. 

"  On  the  morning  of  Thursday,  6th  July,  near 
Thunder  Bay,  was  witnessed  one  of  nature's  most 
beautiful  exhibitions.  It  was  a  thin  cloud,  forming  a 
regular  arch,  which  spanned  one-fourth  of  the  visible 
heavens,  the  ends  resting  upon  the  north  and  the 
south,  and  the  greatest  elevation  over  the  east.     The 


TOUR   TO  THE  EAST.  239 

face  of  it  presented  every  possible  hue, — scarlet,  deep 
purple,  golden  yellow,  silver  white,  pea  green,  and  all 
intermediate  shades.  It  was  apparently  stationary, 
and  for  one  hour  increasing  in  beauty  and  splendor, 
till  the  luminary  of  day  slowly  emerged  from  the 
"vasty  deep,"  immediately  under  the  center  of  this 
triumphal  arch,  and  threw  his  beams  of  light  over 
the  sparkling  waves  toward  the  lofty  peaks  of  the 
Rocky  Mountains.  One  such  manifestation  of  infi- 
nite power  and  wisdom  affords  more  real  pleasure 
than  all  the  galleries  of  paintings  this  world  contains. 

"We  reached  Milwaukee  on  Friday  afternoon, 
where  more  than  two  hundred  deck  and  cabin  pas- 
sengers were  landed,  to  disperse  through  that  new 
country.  Milwaukee  is  about  twelve  years  old,  and 
contains  about  fifteen  thousand  inhabitants.  It  is 
situated  at  the  mouth  of  a  small  river  of  the  same 
name,  which  affords  a  safe  harbor.  The  improve- 
ments are  very  respectable  for  so  new  a  place,  and 
rapidly  advancing.  Its  chief  peculiarity  is  the  color 
of  its  houses.  The  bricks  are  all  of  a  light  cream 
color,  owing,  probably,  to  some  unusual  substance  in 
the  natural  formation  of  which  they  are  made,  and, 
when  in  the  building,  look  as  handsome  as  ordinary 
bricks  painted  white,  and  are  said  to  be  very  hard 
and  durable." 

In  1849,  Bishop  Morris  left  home  for  the  East, 
February  14th,  taking  passage  for  Pittsburg  on  a 
steamboat.  The  weather  was  intensely  cold,  and 
river  navigation  was  rendered  both  difficult  and  dan- 
gerous by  the  floating  ice  which  met  the  steamer  the 
second   day  out.     As   the  cold  increased,  larger  and 


24O  LIFE    OF  lUSHOP  MORRIS. 

heavier  masses  of  ice  were  encountered,  reaching 
sometimes  from  shore  to  shore,  making  the  friction 
terrible,  as  the  vessel  plowed  her  way  onward  and 
upward  against  the  strong  current  and  all  the  massive 
obstruction  which  it  bore.  The  hope  of  reaching 
Pittsburg  was  soon  abandoned  ;  but  after  four  days  of 
determined  and  persevering  effort,  the  city  of  Wheel- 
ing was  reached  in  safety,  and  here  the  bishop  and 
his  party  remained  over  Sabbath.  At  that  time,  when 
river  navigation  was  closed,  there  was  but  one  way 
to  reach  Baltimore, — by  stage  to  Cumberland,  thence 
by  railroad.  The  only  point  to  settle  was  the  time 
to  leave.  After  a  severe  snow-storm,  the  weather 
became  very  cold  on  Sabbath  night,  and  a  journey 
by  stage-coach  over  the  bleak  Alleghanies  was  a 
serious  matter.  But  there  were  difficulties  in  the  way 
of  delay.  General  Taylor,  the  recently  elected  Pres- 
ident, and  his  suite,  with  the  usual  army  of  office- 
seekers  and  pleasure-takers  which  pours  into  Wash- 
ington on  "  Inauguration-day,"  were  expected  along 
in  a  few  days  ;  in  anticipation  of  which,  stage-fare  was 
already  on  the  rise.  It  was  decided  to  push  on,  and 
thus  avoid  the  crowd.  The  proprietors  of  the  coach- 
lines  were  scattering  flaming  handbills,  making  large 
promises  of  superior  accommodations,  on  a  "splendid 
line  of  Troy-built  coaches,"  so  that  crossing  the 
mountains  might  have  been  regarded,  by  one  not 
familiar  with  the'  practical  operation,  as  a  mere 
pleasure-ride.  "Four  coaches,"  says  the  bishop,  "of 
the  accommodation  line,  were  loaded,  of  which  ours 
was  one.  From  appearance  it  had  once  been  a 
second-class  coach  of  its   size,    but  had  seen   its  best 


A    CROWDED   CO  AC//.  24 1 

days,  and  bore  evident  marks  of  a  veteran  mountain 
pioneer. 

"It  was  just  large  enough  to  accommodate  six 
.passengers  of  ordinary  stature,  and  more  should  not 
have  been  required  of  it.  But  its  unreasonable  task- 
master piled  on  about  a  thousand  pounds  of  baggage 
to  begin  with  ;  and  then  about  fifteen  hundred 
pounds  of  humanity  were  stowed  away  inside,  con- 
sisting of  ten  passengers,  or,  more  technically,  'nine 
and  a  half;'  one  being  under  size,  but  not  as  much 
under  as  some  of  us  were  over.  So  that  it  was  not 
respectful  in  our  way-bill  to  call  us  •  nine  and  a 
half;'  for,  on  an  average,  we  compared  respectably 
with  any  ten  passengers  on  the  train.  Besides,  we 
were  favored  with  the  usual  supply  of  baskets,  satch- 
els, robes,  etc.  Our  concern  did  not  do  a  wayside 
business.  We  were  all.  through  passengers  ;  and, 
when  once  crowded  in  and  the  door  forced  to  upon  us, 
we  experienced  the  practical  definition  of  a  squeeze. 
I  will  venture  to  say  that  the  same  number  of  indi- 
viduals were  never  before  compressed  within  the  same 
narrow  space,  and  it  is  to  be  hoped  they  never  will 
be  again.  The  word  was  given,  '  All  set !'  and  we 
dashed  off  at  a  merry  rate,  but  not  in. a  merry  mood. 
To  endure  the  pressure  we  then  felt,  during  a  trip 
of  one  hundred  and  thirty-one  miles,  was  a  serious 
affliction,  but  one  for  which  there  was  no  remedy." 

'  Finally,  after  much  suffering  from  the  cold,  in 
that  cramped,  uncomfortable  condition,  they  arrived 
at  Cumberland,  and  gladly  exchanged  the  hard  seats 
of   the    rickety   coach    for    the    luxurious    car   which 

awaited    them.     About    twelve    hours'    ride    brought 

21 


242  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

them  to  Baltimore,  where  the  discomforts  and  fa- 
tigues of  that  "cold  trip"  were  soon  forgotten  amid 
the  cordialities  of  Christian  friends. 

Bishop  Morris  presided  over  the  Baltimore  Con- 
ference, Staunton,  Virginia,  March  7th  ;  the  New 
Jersey,  at  Burlington,  April  18th  ;  the  New  York,  at 
Poughkeepsie,  May  9th  ;  the  New  York  East,  at 
Middletown,  May  30th  ;  the  Philadelphia,  in  Phila- 
delphia, March  28th  ;  the  East  Maine,  at  Bucksport, 
June  20th  ;  the  Maine,  at  Augusta,  July  nth. 

He  also  attended  a  meeting  of  his  colleagues  at 
Newark,  New  Jersey,  in  April,  where,  after  some 
consultation  respecting  our  missions  in  the  Missouri 
Territory,  he  was  appointed  to  draft  a  memorial  to 
the  Home  Department,  at  Washington,  in  relation  to 
the  expulsion  of  our  missionary,  Rev.  James  Gurley, 
from  the  Wyandot  Nation.  The  material  portions 
of  this  document  are  subjoined  : 

"The  Wyandot  Indians,  formerly  of  Sandusky, 
Ohio,  now  of  the  territory  west  of  Missouri,  have  for 
thirty  years  past  been  regularly  supplied  with  mis- 
sionaries from  our  Church,  except  a  short  interval 
since  the  organization  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church,  South.  When  the  Wyandots  removed  from 
Ohio  to  their  present  home,  our  missionary,  Rev.  J. 
Wheeler,  who  had  been  their  pastor  for  years,  accom- 
panied them,  and  remained  with  them  until  1846, 
when,  the  Indian  Mission  Conference  having  adhered 
to  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  South,  he  re- 
turned to  his  own  Conference  in  Ohio.  The  Wyan- 
dots were  much  dissatisfied  with  their  new  position 
in    Church    affairs,  and    gave   notice  to    the    Church 


MEMORIAL  OF  THE  BISHOPS.  243 

South  that  they  would  look  to  us  for  supplies  of 
ministers  ;  and  accordingly,  in  1848,  sent  a  petition 
to  the  Ohio  Conference  for  a  missionary.  This  was 
signed  by  the  official  and  leading  men  of  the. society, 
as  is  usual  in  such  cases.  Rev.  James  Gurley,  a 
minister  long  and  favorably  known  among  us,  was 
selected,  appointed,  and  sent,  with  a  letter  of  instruc- 
tions from  T.  A.  Morris.  That  letter  was  obtained 
from  Mr.  Gurley  by  Major  Cummins,  United  States 
Agent  near  Fort  Leavenworth,  and,  so  far  as  we 
know,  is  still  in  his  hands  ;  otherwise  we  would  here- 
with forward  to  you  the  original. 

"  After  Mr.  Gurley's  arrival  at  Wyandot,  the 
official  members  of  our  Church  there,  in  a  communi- 
cation to  T.  A.  Morris,  expressed  their  gratitude  and 
pleasure  on  his  reception  among  them,  and,  having 
heard  an  idle  and  false  rumor  of  an  intention  on  our 
part  to  recall  him,  remonstrated  strongly  against  it. 
Subsequently,  however,  Dr.  Hewitt,  Sub-Agent  of 
the  Wyandot  Nation,  had  Mr.  Gurley  arrested, 
and  ordered  him  to  leave  the  Nation.  One  fact, 
to  which  we  beg  leave  to  call  your  special  attention, 
is,  that  no  exception  to  the  moral,  Christian,  or  min- 
isterial character  or  conduct  of  Mr.  Gurley  was  al- 
leged, even  by  Dr.  Hewitt,  as  a  reason  for  expelling 
him  from  the  Nation  ;  nor  had  Mr.  Gurley  any  per- 
sonal difficulty  with  any  individual  there.  Yet  he 
was  driven  off,  to  the  great  grief  of  the  Christian 
society  over  which  he  was  pastor,  consisting  of  a 
large  majority  of  the  Church  members  in  the 
Wyandot  Nation. 

"  Now,  what  we  wish  is,  to  be  informed  whether 


244  LIFE  0F  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

the  act  of  Dr.  Hewitt  was  authorized  and  sanctioned 
by  the  Government,  or  merely  an  assumption  of 
power  on  his  part.  If  the  latter,  we  respectfully  ask 
that  the  abuse  of  power  may  be  corrected  in  such 
way  as  the  Department  may  deem  proper,  the  wrong 
redressed,  and  our  Constitutional  rights  secured. 
We  know  of  no  reason  why  our  missionaries  should 
be  excluded  from  the  Indian  Territory,  while  the 
missionaries  of  other  Churches  are  tolerated  and 
protected." 

This  communication,  signed  by  all  the  bishops, 
was  duly  forwarded  to  Hon.  Thos.  Ewing,  Secretary 
of  the  Interior.  It  caused  the  speedy  removal  from 
office  of  Dr.  Hewitt,  Sub-Agent  at  Wyandot,  and 
the  restoration  of  our  privileges  as  a  Church  in  the 
Indian  Territory. 

Bishop  Morris,  accompanied  by  his  wife,  traveled 
pretty  extensively  this  year,  through  Maine,  New 
Hampshire,  and  Vermont.  While  at  Lebanon,  New 
Hampshire,  where  he  spent  several  weeks,  he  pre- 
pared for  the  press  the  funeral  sermon  of  Rev.  Dr. 
Levings,  in  compliance  with  a  request  made  by  the 
New  York  Conference.  Afterward,  he  visited  the 
White  Mountains,  of  which  he  wrote  a  very  enter- 
taining account,  which  the  reader  will  find  in  his 
volume  entitled  "  Miscellany." 

While  filling  an  engagement  at  Paterson,  New 
Jersey,  in  September,  he  heard  of  the  illness  of 
Bishop  Hedding,  and  set  off  immediately  as  his  sub- 
stitute at  the  Genesee  Conference,  which  met  at 
Albion,  New  York,  arriving  there  on  the  second  day 
of  the  session. 


CONFERENCES  ATTENDED.  24S 

On  his  return  to  Paterson,  he  found  Mrs.  Morris 
quite  ill.  Her  symptoms  grew  worse,  and  for  three 
or  four  weeks  her  case  was  regarded  as  extremely 
critical  ;  but,  by  the  blessing  of  God,  she  slowly  re- 
gained her  health.  As  soon  as  Mrs.  Morris  was  able 
to  bear  the  fatigue  of  travel,  they  left  Paterson,  and 
proceeded  to  Philadelphia,  where  the  bishop  had 
secured  board  for  the  Winter.  During  his  sojourn 
in  Philadelphia,  he  preached  more  than  forty  sermons, 
mostly  in  the  city. 

His  episcopal  tour  for  1850  embraced  the  Prov- 
idence Conference,  which  met  at  Providence,  April, 
3d  ;  the  New  England,  at  Boston,  April  24th  ;  the 
New  Hampshire,  at  New  Market,  May  8th  ;  the 
Troy  Conference,  at  Saratoga,  May  29th  ;  the  Ver- 
mont, at  Bradford,  June  12th;  the  East  Maine,  at 
Frankfort,  June  26th  ;  the  Maine,  at  Kennebunkport, 
July  10th  ;  the  Michigan,  at  Albion,  September  4th  ; 
the  Indiana,  at  Jeffersonville,  October  9th. 

He  also  assisted  Bishop  Waugh  at  the  Baltimore 
Conference,  and  Bishop  Janes  at  the  Ohio  and  North 
Ohio  Conferences,  besides  attending  the  annual  meet- 
ing of  the  bishops,  held  this  year  in  Philadelphia, 
and  the  General  Mission  Committee  Meeting  in  New 
York  City.  In  less  than  eight  months,  Bishop  Morris 
held  twelve  annual  conferences,  in  the  Spring,  Sum- 
mer, and  Fall  of  this  year,  and,  in  addition,  had 
charge  of  the  Foreign  Mission  work,  which  involved 
a  very  extensive  correspondence.  Writing  commis- 
sions and  letters  of  instruction,  however,  was  not  the 
most  serious  part  of  this  business.  The  chief  diffi- 
culty was  to  find  missionaries.     During  his  term  of 


246  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

service  in  this  work,  from  May,  1849,  to  May,  1851, 
he  appointed  one  missionary  to  Liberia,  two  to  China, 
five  to  Germany,  one  to  New  Mexico,  and  not  less 
than  fifteen  to  California  and  Oregon.  In  view  of 
such  abundant  labors,  involving  almost  ceaseless 
travel  and  constant  exposure,  we  do  not  marvel  that 
his  health  had  become  so  impaired  by  the  close  of 
this  year  that  he  felt  obliged  to  discontinue  holding 
or  attending  night  services,  and  restrict  himself  to 
one  sermon  on  the  Sabbath. 

Bishop  Morris's  first  Conference  in  1851  was  the 
West  Virginia,  which  met  in  Charlestown,  June  4th. 
This  was  within  five  miles'  of  the  old  homestead 
where  he  was  born,  and  spent  the  first  ten  years  of 
his  life.  At  the  close  of  the  Conference  he  made  a 
visit  to  this  interesting  spot,  and  thus  records  his 
impressions  :  "The  fertile  fields  in  which  I  first  plied 
the  hoe  were  there ;  the  Big  Kanawha  River,  in 
which  I  was  wont  to  fish  and  bathe,  still  flowed  on 
as  of  old  ;  the  towering  mountains  on  the  west  still 
flung  their  evening  shadows  over  the  dear  old  place. 
But  all  besides  was  changed.  The  spring  of  purest 
mountain-water  was  neglected  ;  indeed,  buried  under 
masses  of  sand  and  gravel,  washed  down  by  the 
mountain  torrent.  The  house  that  had  inclosed  it 
was  demolished ;  and  the  lofty  forest-trees  that,  in 
my  childhood,  overhung  the  whole,  were  cut  down. 
I  turned  toward  the  site  of  the  venerable  mansion 
that  sheltered  me  in  helpless  infancy  and  happy  child- 
hood, but  naught  remained  except  a  heap  of  rubbish 
where  the  large  stone  chimney  once  stood.  The  old 
barn  was  gone  ;    the  fruit-trees  were  gone ;   and  the 


SECURING  A  HOME.  2tf 

grass  plot  on  which  I  played  was  plowed  and  culti- 
vated, and  new  improvements  at  a  distance  of  half  a 
mile  on  the  river  bank  appeared.  Most  of  the  com- 
panions of  my  childhood  were  in  another  world,  and 
the  few  who  remained  in  this  were  far  separated 
from  me,  and  all  of  us  hastening  to  the  end  of  life's 
journey." 

From  Charlestown  he  proceeded  to  Alleghany 
City,  and  presided  over  the  Pittsburg  Conference, 
June  1 8th  ;  thence  to  the  Erie  Conference,  which  met 
at  Warren,  Ohio,  July  9th  ;  thence  to  the  North  Ohio 
Conference,  at  Bellefontaine,  July  30th  ;  thence  to  the 
North  Indiana  Conference,  at  South  Bend,  August 
20th.  As  he  was  going  to  the  latter  place,  when 
near  Connersville,  seated  in  a  large  nine-passenger 
coach,  alone,  the  team  took  fright,  ran  furiously  for 
some  distance,  and  finally  upset  the  coach.  The 
bishop  was  pretty  severely  bruised  by  the  fall,  and 
had  a  bone  fractured  in  one  of  his  hands,  but  was 
thankful  to  escape  with  his  life.  From  South  Bend 
he  went  to  the  Michigan  Conference,  at  Monroe,  Sep- 
tember 3d  ;  and  thence  to  the  Ohio  Conference,  which 
met  in  Springfield,  September  17th,  which  closed  the 
official  work  of  the  year. 

Since  his  second  marriage,  Bishop  Morris  had 
been  without  a  settled  home  up  to  this  time  ;  and  we 
propose  now  to  let  him  tell  the  story  of  his  attempt 
to  secure  one,  in  his  own  words  : 

"  For  many  years  we  had  no  certain  dwelling-place  ; 
but  by  traveling  in  Spring,  Summer,  and  Autumn,  and 
boarding  where  we  could  during  the  Winter,  we  had 
saved  a  little  toward   getting   ready   to   keep   house. 


248  LIFE   OF  BISHOP   MORRIS. 

There  were  several  objections  to  that  migratory  mode 
of  living:  my  papers  were  deranged;  it  was  sometimes 
difficult  to  procure  suitable  boarding;  we  had  no  spare 
room  to  accommodate  a  friend,  and  our  health  was  suf- 
fering: from  confinement  to  one  small  room.  Under 
these  circumstances  we  concluded  that  the  time  had 
come  for  us  to  look  out  for  some  place  where  we 
might  quietly  pass  the  evening  of  life.  Accordingly 
we  bought  and  took  possession  of  a  residence  on 
Mount  Auburn.  It  was  the  estate  of  a  deceased 
minister  of  another  denomination,  which  had  been 
mortgaged  for  the  deferred  payments,  and  had  to  be 
sold  as  the  only  means  by  which  the  liabilities  of  the 
estate  could  be  settled. 

"  The  Court,  on  the  joint  petition  of  the  adminis- 
trator and  guardian,  after  due  consideration,  granted 
an  order  to  sell  the  premises  by  public  auction.  After 
a  month's  notice,  the  sale  took  place,  and  the  property 
Was  knocked  off  to  M'Cullough  and  Morris,  at  its 
full  value;  they  obtaining  a  bill  of  sale,  a  receipt  for 
the  first  payment,  and  the  promise  of  a  perfect  title 
as  soon  as  Court  should  meet  and  ratify  the  sale.  I 
bought  the  place  of  them,  and  gave  it  the  name  of 
'Beulah.'  In  October,  1850,  we  took  possession,  put 
the  entire  premises  in  good  repair,  furnished  the 
house  as  well  as  our  means  would  allow,  and  con- 
gratulated ourselves  on  a  pleasant  settlement  for  the 
rest  of  our  days. 

"  When  the  Court  met,  the  administrator  allowed 
weeks  to  pass  without  making  any  return  of  the 
sale  ;  and  when  we  inquired  for  the  reason  of  the 
delay,    we    learned,    to    our    surprise,    that    he    had 


SE TTL ED  AT" HOME  L OD GE. "  249 

employed  a  lawyer  to  have  the  sale  set  aside.  And 
our  astonishment  was  still  greater  when  we  heard, 
in  a  few  weeks,  that  he  had  succeeded.  The  chief 
reason  assigned  by  the  Court  for  this  strange  pro- 
ceeding was,  that  the  guardian  was  a  non-resident 
of  Ohio — which,  however,  was  as  true  when  his 
honor  ordered  the  sale  as  when  he  set  it  aside.  As 
I  was  not  inclined  to  endure  the  suspense  and  meet 
the  cost  of  litigation  myself,  M'Cullough  and  Morris 
refunded  what  I  had  advanced,  and  released  me  from 
my  contract." 

-  Notwithstanding  the  vexations  and  annoyances 
attending  this  first  attempt  to  settle,  Bishop  Morris 
was  disposed  to  regard  the  result  as  providential. 
The  situation  on  Mount  Auburn,  though  very  pleas- 
ant in  many  respects,  would  have  been  inconvenient 
for  himself  and  his  family.  He  soon  after  purchased 
a  house  on  Smith  Street,  near  Fourth,  Cincinnati, 
and,  in  October,  185 1,  took  possession  of  "Home 
Lodge." 

On  the  5th  of  April,  1852,  Bishop  Morris  left 
home  to  attend  the  New  England  Conference,  as 
substitute  for  Bishop  Hedding.  "  Interested  com- 
panies," he  says,  "  had  caused  to  be  published  a 
notice  that  a  boat  was  making  regular  trips  between 
Cleveland  and  Erie,  so  that  passengers  could  avoid 
staging.  I  concluded  to  risk  it ;  but  found,  to  my 
sorrow,  that  I  and  many  others  had  been  imposed 
upon.  There  was  indeed  a  boat  that  kept  runners 
on  the  railroad  to  decoy  passengers  on  board,  with 
the  positive  promise,  verbal  and  printed,  to  land  them 
at  Erie,  but  with  the  certain  knowledge  that  it  could 


250  LIFE  OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

not  be  done,  and  had  not  been  done  that  Spring. 
This  boat  took  our  money  on  false  pretenses,  and, 
after  carrying  us  some  distance,  put  us  ashore  to 
take  care  of  ourselves.  Thus,  after  two  nights  and  a 
day  on  this  vessel,  ice-bound,  and  then  two  days  and 
a  night  contending  with  mud,  riding  where  the  team 
could  pull  through,  and  walking  over  the  worst 
places,  we  reached  Erie,  at  an  expense  four  times 
greater  than  the  ordinary  fare.  I  arrived  in  New 
York,  Friday  evening,  April  9th,  and  on  the  same 
evening  heard  of  the  sad  bereavemnt  of  the  Church 
in  the  death  of  the  venerable  senior  bishop,  Hedding. 
On  Monday,  12th,  I  attended  the  funeral  services  at 
Poughkeepsie,  saw  this  eminent  servant  of  Christ 
committed  to  his  final  resting-place  on  earth,  and 
read  over  him  the  burial-service  of  the  Church.  His 
end  was  as  peaceful  and  triumphant  as  his  life  had 
been  laborious  and  exemplary.  He  was  among  the 
wisest  and  best  of  our  race." 

After  the  funeral,  Bishop  Morris  proceeded  to 
Chickapee,  where  the  New  England  Conference  held 
its  session,  commencing  April  14th.  He  then  re- 
turned to  Poughkeepsie  to  meet  the  Episcopal  Board, 
now  reduced  to  three  in  number.  The  principal 
business  of  this  meeting  was  the  preparation  of  a 
quadrennial  address,  which  being  accomplished,  the 
bishops  proceeded  together  to  Boston,  the  seat  of  the 
General  Conference  of  1852. 


EULOGY  ON  BISHOP  HE D DING.  25  I 


CHAPTER  XL 

GENERAL    CONFERENCE     OF     1 85  2 — ELECTION    OF    NEW    BISH- 
OPS— CONFERENCES    HELD TRAVELS. 

THE  General  Conference  of  1852  assembled  in 
the  Bromfield-street  Church,  in  the  city  of 
Boston,  on  Saturday,  May  1st,  Bishops  Waugh,  Mor- 
ris, and  Janes  being  present.  The  Conference  was 
composed  of  one  hundred  and  seventy-six  delegates, 
representing  twenty-nine  annual  conferences.  The 
Episcopal  Address  was  read  by  Bishop  Waugh  on  the 
second  day  of  the  session.  It  refers  with  much  ten- 
derness to  the  death  of  Bishop  Hedding,  and  pays  a 
deservedly  high  tribute  to  his  pure  and  exalted  char- 
acter. "He  sustained  the  highly  responsible  office 
of  General  Superintendent  of  the  Methodist  Episco- 
pal Church,"  says  the  Address,  "for  nearly  twenty- 
eight  years.  With  a  strong  and  discriminating  mind, 
busily  engaged  for  so  many  years  in  acquiring  knowl- 
edge and  wisdom  from  various  sources  of  literature 
and  science,  of  philosophy  and  religion,  we  shall  not 
be  regarded  as  extravagant  eulogists  when  we  say 
that  he  has  left  few  equals  in  the  church,  and,  take 
him  all  in  all,  no  superior  survives  him.  With  all  his 
greatness  he  had  the  simplicity  of  a  child.  His  ami- 
ability, gentleness,  and  kindness  endeared  him  to  all 


252  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

with  whom  he  had  intercourse — from  the  prattling 
child  to  the  youth,  to  the  middle-aged,  and  to  those  of 
old  age  and  declining  years.  All  felt  at  ease  in  the 
society  of  this  truly  good  man,  and  were  delighted 
with  his  unpretending  and  attractive  manners.  As  a 
preacher,  he  had  many  and  great  excellences.  As  an 
administrative  officer,  he  was  justly  esteemed  unri- 
valed in  the  soundness  of  his  opinions,  the  correct- 
ness of  his  constitutional  views  and  legal  decisions, 
and  the  dignity  and  urbanity  of  his  manner." 

The  address  argues  at  some  length  against  any 
such  modification  of  the  general  superintendency  as 
would  be  likely  to  result  in  the  introduction  of  dio- 
cesan episcopacy,  warns  the  body  against  ill-consid- 
ered and  radical  changes  in  the  system  which  had 
worked  so  admirably  in  the  past,  reviews  the  condi- 
tion and  prospects  of  the  Church,  recommends  an 
extension  of  the  probationary  term  of  traveling  preach- 
ers from  two  to  four  years,  reviews  the  missionary, 
publishing,  educational,  and  Sabbath-school  interests 
of  the  Church,  and  recommends  an  increase  of  the 
Episcopal  Board. 

On  Tuesday,  May  25th,  after  a  few  moments  spent 
in  silent  prayer,  the  Conference  proceeded  to  ballot 
for  four  bishops.  The  result  of  the  first  ballot  was 
the  selection,  by  the  requisite  majority,  of  Levi  Scott, 
Matthew  Simpson,  Osmon  C.  Baker,  and  Edward  R. 
Ames,  who  were  solemnly  inducted  into  the  episco- 
pal office,  according  to  the  prescribed  form,  on  Thurs- 
day, May  27th. 

The  General  Conference  of  1852  closed  a  quiet, 
harmonious   session,   on    the   first  day  of  June.     Its 


ACCOUNT  OF  TRIP  EAST  253 

action  on  the  great  questions  under  consideration 
gave  general  satisfaction  to  the  Church.  After  the 
final  adjournment,  Bishop  Morris  held  the  New  York 
Conference,  at  the  Bedford-street  Church,  June  9th  ; 
the  Black-river,  at  Ogdensburg,  June  23d  ;  the  East 
Genesee,  at  Honeoye  Falls,  August  18th  ;  and  the 
Genesee,  at  Lockport,  September  8th.  He  also  as- 
sisted Bishop  Janes  at  the  Cincinnati  Conference,  and 
Bishop  Baker  at  the  South-eastern  Indiana  Conference, 
reaching  his  home  in  Cincinnati  about  the  middle  of 
October. 

In  1853,  the  Plan  of  Episcopal  Visitation  assigned 
to  Bishop  Morris  the  Baltimore  Conference,  March 
2d  ;  the  Philadelphia,  March  2^\  ;  and  the  New  Jer- 
sey, April  13th.  Of  his  trip  East  he  gives,  in  the 
Western  Christian  Advocate,  the  following  highly  char- 
acteristic account : 

"  On  Tuesday,  February  22d,  I  walked  to  the  Book- 
room,  post-office,  ticket-office,  and  back  to  '  Home 
Lodge/  having  journeyed  on  foot  three  miles  through 
a  cold  rain  to  complete  arrangements  for  getting 
myself  and  trunk  on  the  morning  express-train.  Dur- 
ing the  night  the  rain  changed  to  sleet  and  snow. 
Wednesday  morning,  before  six  o'clock,  we  heard  the 
ponderous  wheels  of  the  omnibus  rolling  up  to  the 
door.  As  I  dragged  out  my  trunk,  over  stone  steps 
and  pavement  all  covered  with  ice,  the  unwelcome 
announcement  came,  'You  must  hand  it  up,  or  I  can 
not  get  it  on.'  It  was  a  hard  lift  to  stand  on  that 
ice  and  raise  a  heavy  trunk  to  the  driver's  seat ;  but 
this  was  the  condition  alone  on  which  it  was  to  be 
taken.     Great  folks,  these  omnibus  men!     Being  the 


254  LIFE   0F  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

first  in,  I  had  for  a  time  plenty  of  room  ;  but  soon 
the  driver  was  wheeling  to  the  right  and  left,  ringing 
door-bells,  and  hallooing  for  passengers,  some  of  whom 
seemed  to  be  in  no  special  haste.  After  one  hour 
thus  employed,  we  reached  the  depot,  obtained  bag- 
gage-checks, and  were  ready  to  take  seats  ;  but,  as 
usual,  each  car  was  secured  by  a  lock  at  one  end, 
and  a  rough  specimen  of  humanity  at  the  other,  to 
keep  out  all  but  such  as  showed  tickets,  and  to  dis- 
tribute passengers  to  his  own  liking.  Your  ticket 
may  read,  'One  first-class  passage;'  but  if  he  says, 
4  Forward  car,  sir,'  there  is  no  remedy.  So  it  is  with 
all  the  crowded  lines,  as  far  as  I  know.  Yet  when 
one  can  congratulate  himself  that  he  is  not  left,  but 
is  rapidly  leaving  space  behind  him,  he  may  well 
afford  to  endure  these  little  inconveniences.  Such  as 
left  without  breakfast  were  fully  ready  for  it  in  Co- 
lumbus, where,  for  about  ten  minutes,  they  played  a 
merry  tune  with  knives,  forks,  and  plates,  during 
which  time  the  substantial  were  evidently  diminished, 
and  good  temper  proportionably  increased  ;  for  noth- 
ing earthly  contributes  so  readily  to  the  quietude  of 
a  hungry  man  as  a  good  dinner. 

"Leaving  Columbus,  I  found  myself  in  a  car 
poorly  furnished  and  much  crowded.  The  stove  re- 
sembled, both  in  size  and  form,  an  old-fashioned 
stone  jug  with  a  long  neck.  It  contained  but  little 
fuel,  and  less  fire,  and  was  densely  surrounded  by 
standing  passengers  making  curious  observations 
upon  its  appearance  and  want  of  heat.  The  seats 
were  hard,  springs  stiff,  and  motion  irregular,  some- 
times giving  us  a  vertical  cant,  and  then  a  horizontal 


HOTEL  INCONVENIENCES.  255 

jerk,  causing  our  heads  to  swing  to  and  fro,  as  if  stag- 
ing on  'corduroy.'  But  on  we  drove,  rattle  and  dash, 
clatter  and  crash,  thunder  and  splash,  at  the  risk  of 
flying  off  the  track  and  throwing  the  train  into  a  con- 
fused heap.  Yet  no  mishap  occurred.  In  the  after- 
noon, the  kind-hearted  conductor  removed  me  one  car 
back,  where  I  found  comfortable  accommodations,  for 
which  I  felt  grateful.  That  day,  between  the  south- 
western and  north-eastern  portions  of  Ohio,  we  real- 
ized changes,  both  as  to  cloud  and  climate,  reminding 
us  of  the  Scotch  editor's  weather-table :  '  First  it 
blewed,  then  it  snewed,  then  it  thewed,  and  then 
it  friz.' 

"  On  arriving  at  Cleveland,  at  seven  o'clock  P.  M., 
we  found  the  north-west  wind  sweeping  over  the  lake, 
almost  sufficient  to  congeal  the  blood  and  vitals.  The 
steam  of  the  locomotive  was  driven  back  into  the 
depot,  so  as  to  obscure  the  lamps  and  render  them 
of  little  use.  In  the  midst  of  darkness,  there  was 
quite  a  scramble  for  baggage.  After  a  detention  of 
three-quarters  of  an  hour,  my  own  was  secured,  and 
I  was  taken  to  the Hotel,  which  had  been  repre- 
sented as  a  first-class  house.  I  was  sent  to  a  room 
in  the  fourth  story,  which  I  found  to  be  a  very  con- 
tracted affair,  without  fire-place  or  stove.  To  spend 
the  evening  there  was  out  of  the  question,  and  I 
returned  to  the  office,  filled  with  clouds  of  tobacco- 
smoke,  which  I  endured  as  long  as  I  could,  then  flew 
to  the  door  for  a  breath  of  fresh  air,  till  the  cold  would 
drive  me  back  into  the  smoke  again.  Thus  I  alter- 
nated between  frost  and  sickening  fumes  till  ten 
o'clock,  when  I  ascended  to  the  elevated  scuttle  where 


256  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

I  was  to  pass  the  night,  and  which  I  did  as  well  as  I 
could,  in  a  very  dirty  bed. 

"Thursday,  the  ride  to  Pittsburg  was  rather  cold 
for  comfort,  except  to  the  nice  young  men  who  se- 
cured all  the  choice  seats  near  the  stove,  leaving  the 
rest  of  us  to  contend  with  the  severity  of  the  weather 
as  best  we  could,  by  striking  our  feet  together  to 
keep  up  a  free  circulation.  Friday,  at  a  quarter  to 
twelve,  I  left  Pittsburg  on  the  Pennsylvania  Central 
Railroad,  traveled  all  night,  passed  the  seven  inclined 
planes  safely,  and  reached  Harrisburg  on  Saturday 
morning  before  sunrise ;  and  the  same  day  went 
down  on  the  Cumberland  Valley  Railroad  to  Cham? 
bersburg,  where  I  spent  the  Sabbath  very  agreeably, 
and  preached  in  our  excellent  and  well-filled  church. 
Monday  evening,  I  passed  on  to  Hagerstown  in  a 
horse-car,  and  was  ready  for  the  opening  of  the 
Baltimore  Conference,  March  2d." 

After  a  protracted  and  laborious,  but,  on  the 
whole,  pleasant,  session  of  ten  days,  Bishop  Morris 
spent  a  week  in  Baltimore,  enjoying  the  hospitalities 
of  the  "Monumental  City."  He  devoted  a  day  to 
visiting  among  the  fathers  and  their  families,  of 
whom  he  makes  this  pleasant  record  : 

14  Accompanied  by  a  friend,  I  rode  to  Hookstown, 
and  called  at  '  Pilgrim's  Rest,'  to  see  the  venerable 
and  Rev.  Henry  Smith,  now,  I  believe,  about  eighty- 
four  years  old.  We  found  him  out,  with  his  coat  off, 
trimming  pea-sticks;  for  he  has  an  acre  lot  which  he 
cultivates  with  his  own  hands,  the  products  whereof, 
together  with  conference  dividends,  are  his  living  for 

o 

himself  and  family.     He  informed  us  that,  while  the 


REV.  JOSHUA    WELLS.  2 $7 

weather  allowed  him  lo  take  out-door  exercise,  he 
ate,  slept,  and  felt  comfortably  ;  but  when  confined  to 
the  house  he  felt  the  worse  for  it.  He  still  preaches 
occasionally,  appears  to  be  quite  cheerful,  enjoys  the 
society  of  Christian  friends,  and  is  patiently  waiting 
for  his  Lord  to  call  him  home.  While  we  prayed 
together,  the  Divine  presence  was  sensibly  felt  among 
us.  He  is  a  Methodist  preacher  of  the  original 
stamp,  both  in  appearance  and  spirit. 

"From  thence  we  rode  to  the  residence  of  Rev. 
Joshua  Wells,  a  snug  little  place  of  several  acres,  a 
mile  or  two  north  of  Baltimore.  He  is  nearly  eighty- 
eight  years  of  age,  if  I  remember  right,  and  has  been 
a  traveling  preacher  sixty-four  years.  Though  unable 
to  preach  now,  he  still  recites  with  precision  and 
animation  the  stirring  incidents  of  his  early  ministry, 
as  well  as  the  oppositions  and  triumphs  of  American 
Methodism  in  his  day.  His  personal  appearance  is 
such  as  to  command  respect  from  all.  His  protracted 
ministerial  service  calls  for  gratitude,  and  his  concil- 
iatory manners  plant  him  firmly  in  the  affections  of 
the  Church.  His  pious  companion,  only  a  few  years 
younger  than  he,  was  suffering  severe  pain,  without 
hope  of  relief  here;  but  suffering  joyfully,  in  prospect 
of  being  soon  removed  to  the  heavenly  rest,  where 
there  is  no  pain  forever." 

Leaving  Baltimore,  Bishop  Morris  proceeded  to 
Harrisburg,  in  which  city  the  Philadelphia  Confer- 
ence assembled,  March  23d.  The  session  was  a  very 
pleasant  one.  "Immediately  after,"  says  the  bishop 
in  one  of  his  letters,  "  I  went  to  Philadelphia,  think- 
ing   that,    if   any   storm    should    arise   over   the  city 

22 


258  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

appointments,  I  should  be  in  the  place  to  meet  it; 
but  none  came.  Indeed,  it  was  the  calmest  time  I 
ever  witnessed  there  at  the  close  of  the  Philadelphia 
Conference." 

After  a  visit  of  several  days  in  the  city,  he  took 
boat  down  the  Delaware  River  to  Salem,  New  Jersey, 
one  of  the  oldest  and  most  pleasant  towns  in  the 
State.  Adjoining  the  church,  in  Salem,  is  a  cemetery 
of  great  interest  on  account  of  some  honored  names 
there  inscribed  ;  and,  among  others,  that  of  Rev.  Asa 
Smith,  formerly  of  the  Philadelphia  Conference,  who 
died  in  1847,  aged  seventy-five  years.  Near  the  top 
of  his  head-stone  is  the  device  of  a  Bible,  open  at 
John  xi,  25:  "I  am  the  resurrection  and  the  life." 
Three  rods  east  of  this  grave  is  a  plain,  handsome 
monument  of  marble,  over  the  remains  of  Rev.  Thos. 
Ware,  one  of  the  patriots  of  1776;  converted  in 
1781  ;  entered  the  itinerant  ranks  in  1783;  witnessed 
the  organization  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church 
in  1784;  was  a  member  of  the  First  Delegated  Gen- 
eral Conference  in  1812;  was  one  of  the  early  Book 
Agents  ;  and  died,  in  1842,  aged  eighty-three  years. 
About  two  rods  from  his  monument  stands  a  very 
ordinary  slab,  to  indicate  the  resting-place  of  a  very 
extraordinary  man — Rev.  Benjamin  Abbott — who, 
after  distinguishing  himself  in  his  youth  as  a  fighter, 
became  converted,  and  was  twenty-three  years  a 
member,  sixteen  years  a  local  preacher,  and  seven 
years  a  traveling  preacher  in  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal Church.  He  was  a  revivalist  of  marvelous 
success,  "a  son  of  thunder,"  who  accomplished  vast 
good  in  his  day,  by  the  strength  of  his  faith,  and  the 


ADVICE  TO  GRADUATES.  259 

power  of  the  Holy  Spirit  which  attended  the  word 
spoken  by  him.  He  died  in  1796,  aged  sixty- 
four  years. 

After  a  pleasant  Sabbath  in  Salem,  Bishop  Morris 
proceeded  to  Bridgetown,  New  Jersey,  where  the  New 
Jersey  Conference  met,  April   13th. 

Returning  from  the  East,  he  attended  the  Com- 
mencement exercises  of  the  Ohio  Wesleyan  Uni- 
versity at  Delaware,  and  dedicated  the  new  university 
chapel,  preaching  on  the  occasion  with  unusual  power 
and  effect.  A  few  weeks  later,  he  was  present  at 
the  graduating  exercises  of  the  Wesleyan  Female 
College  of  Cincinnati,  and,  as  President  of  the  Board 
of  Trustees,  presented  the  diplomas  to  the  young 
ladies,  with  the  following  remarks  : 

"  Ladies, — Long-looked-for  has  come  at  last ;  the 
hour  of  your  release  is  here.  To-night  you  escape 
from  college  confinement,  and  to-morrow  celebrate 
your  jubilee.  To  gain  the.  point  of  graduation  has 
cost  you  years  of  toil  and  solicitude  ;  but  that  anx- 
ious toil  is  passed,  and  you  do  not  regret  it.  With 
nimble  step  and  merry  heart  you  return  to  your 
parental  homes,  exchanging  college  halls  for  domestic 
retreats,  and  classmates  for  the  companions  of  your 
childhood.  You  will,  however,  not  be  wholly  de- 
pendent on  friends  ;  for  you  carry  with  you  the 
means  of  self-entertainment — though  considerations 
of  usefulness  will  suggest  contact  with  society.  Dis- 
appointment may  be  expected  ;  for  the  theory  of  life 
as  you  study  it  in  books,  and  practical  life  with  its 
stern  realities,  are  different  things.  To  succeed, 
practically,  you  will  need  the  grace  of  perseverance, 


260  LIFE    OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

of  patience,  of  forbearance,  of  resignation.  For  the 
ills  of  life,  the  best  antidote  is  the  love  of  God  in 
Christ.  Other  friends  you  may  have  ;  but  Christ  is 
a  friend  that  sticketh  closer  than  a  brother.  As  you 
proceed  in  life's  pilgrimage,  carry  with  you  these 
deeds  of  privilege;  and  when,  in  after  years  and  in 
scattered  positions,  you  look  upon  them,  you  will  re- 
member your  protracted  sojourn  at  the  Wesleyan 
Female  College,  and  the  many  friends  who  now 
cluster  around  you  in  the  Queen  City.  When  life 
and  its  perils  are  passed,  may  we  all  meet  in  heaven!" 

His  next  appointment  was  to  preach  the  annual 
sermon  to  the  students  of  the  Indiana  Asbury  Uni- 
versity at  Greencastle,  during  the  exercises  of  Com- 
mencement-week, which  occurred  in  July.  We  find 
an  amusing  account  of  his  journey  to  fulfill  this 
engagement,  in  the  Western  Christian  Advocate, 
August  3,   1853: 

"On  Wednesday,  July  13th,  my  wife,  grand- 
daughter, and  I  enjoyed  a  ride  of  two  hours  to 
Dayton,  where  we  passed  the  afternoon  and  evening 
pleasantly  with  our  friends.  The  cars  for  Green- 
ville—  headquarters  of  Dr.  Durbin's  first  circuit — 
left  Dayton  at  five  o'clock  in  the  morning.  To 
gather  up  the  family  from  different  rooms,  get  the 
baggage  removed  to  the  depot,  and  all  stowed  away 
in  time,  was  a  hard  scuffle.  This  over,  I  hurried  to 
the  ticket-office,  and  found  it  locked,  the  functionary 
of  that  department  being  averse  to  early  rising, 
doubtless  ;  but  soon  after  getting  under  way  I  drove 
a  bargain  with  the  conductor.  For  nine  dollars  he 
furnished  us  with  three  oblong  squares  of  pasteboard, 


RAILROAD  TACTICS.  26 1 

on  which  was  printed,  'Dayton,  Greenville,  and 
Indianapolis.'  Our  iron  pony,  though  a  sprightly 
little  fellow,  was  rather  too  weak  in  the  back  for  the 
load  he  had  to  carry.  On  a  level  plain  he  could  jog 
fifteen  miles  an  hour,  and  on  a  descent  twenty  ;  but 
on  an  ascending  grade  he  could  scarcely  make  five. 
When  we  reached  Union,  where  we  should  have  con- 
nected with  the  train  from  Bellefontaine  to  Indian- 
apolis, that  train  had  passed  on  ;  and  ours  gave 
chase,  but  failed  to  overtake  it.  We  passed  through 
Winchester  like  a  whirlwind.  In  vain  the  passengers 
for  that  place  remonstrated  against  being  taken  be- 
yond their  destination — resistance  to  the  authority 
of  a  conductor  is  fruitless.  On  reaching  the  first 
watering-stand  west  of  Winchester,  the  iron  horse 
was  unhooked  from  the  train,  and,  single-handed, 
went  careering  over  the  plain  toward  Muncie  ;  but 
for  what  purpose  we  were  left  to  guess. 

"In  about  half  an  hour,  by  a  retrograde  motion, 
he  returned  and  resumed  his  burden.  The  signal  to 
reverse  the  wheels  was  given,  and  we  found  ourselves 
crawfishing.  Having  previously  learned  from  the  con- 
ductor that  our  car  would  go  through  to  Indianapolis, 
and  that  we  would  breakfast  at  Muncie,  we  now  sup- 
posed that,  after  returning  to  Winchester  to  leave  the 
passengers  for  that  place,  we  would  resume  our  course 
westward.  It  was  a  mistake.  Our  baggage  was  all 
pitched  out  on  the  platform  at  Winchester ;  and 
though  no  proclamation  was  made,  or  word  of  expla- 
nation given  in  the  cars,  it  became  evident  that  the 
contract  was  violated,  the  trip  abandoned,  and  we  left 
to  provide  for  ourselves.     There  was  no  remedy  but 


262  LIFE    OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

to  wait  patiently  for  the  evening  train.  Adopting  the 
maxim,  'What  can  not  be  cured  must  be  endured,' 
we  went  to  a  public  house,  where,  at  ten  o'clock,  we 
breakfasted.  The  evening  train  was  due  at  five 
o'clock  and  forty  minutes,  but  did  not  arrive  until 
seven.  In  the  mean  time,  Mrs.  Morris  became  so  sick 
that,  to  proceed  that  night  was  impossible,  and  we 
remained  till  morning.  The  morning  train  was  due 
at  seven  o'clock.  We  were  punctual.  After  waiting 
an  hour  and  a  quarter,  we  saw  smoke  ;  then  heard 
the  quick,  heavy  breathing  of  the  metal  horse,  'faint, 
but  pursuing.'  We  hurried  aboard  the  train,  which 
moved  forward  a  few  paces,  backed  on  a  side-track, 
and  stood  still  till  nine  o'clock,  when,  having  obtained 
a  clear  track,  we  resumed  our  course,  and  on  the 
third  day  completed  the  trip  from  Cincinnati  to  Indi- 
anapolis. 

"On  Saturday  morning  I  had  the  pleasure  of 
preaching  the  opening  sermon  of  a  quarterly-meeting, 
at  the  Depot  Charge,  Indianapolis,  where  the  breth- 
ren are  favored  with  a  pleasant  revival  of  religion. 
In  the  afternoon  we  rolled  down  to  Greencastle, 
where,  on  the  following  day,  I  was  to  preach  to  the 
students.  By  remaining  in-doors  Saturday  evening  I 
missed  hearing  Rev.  Aaron  Wood's  lecture  on  '  Pro- 
gress,' which,  from  the  many  allusions  made  to  it,  I 
judged  to  have  been  a  rare  treat.  Indeed,  it  was 
more  than  hinted  by  some  who  heard  it,  that  the 
elements  of  popular  elocution  and  power  still  lingered 
among  the  Alumni  of  old  'Brush  College,'  the  school 
of  itinerant  prophets  in  the  west.  On  Sunday  after- 
noon  I  gave  the  young  men  a  plain,  simple  talk  on 


STEAM  BOA  T  MANNERS.  263 

'Wherewith  shall  a  young  man  cleanse  his  way?  by 
taking  heed  thereto,  according  to  thy  word.'  (Psalm 
cxix,  9.)  As  the  discourse  was  not  written,  and  I 
had  never  learned  the  refined  art  of  reading  sermons, 
they  had  to  take  it  after  the  old  Methodist  fashion, 
off-hand." 

On  the  20th  of  September,  Bishop  Morris  left 
Cincinnati  for  Missouri  and  Arkansas.  Being  de- 
tained a  day  in  Louisville  on  private  business,  he 
missed  the  regular  packet,  and  was  obliged  to  take 
passage  on  a  small  transient  boat,  much  crowded  and 
poorly  provided  with  accommodations.  "The  cap- 
tain," says  the  bishop,  "was  exceedingly  accommo- 
dating to  all  under  his  care.  When  stewards  and 
cabin-boys  chose  to  swear  and  act  the  rowdy,  they 
did  so  without  rebuke.  One  printed  rule  of  the  boat 
required  all  games  to  cease  at  ten  o'clock,  yet  the 
blacklegs  gambled  for  money  from  dark  to  sunrise, 
then  went  to  bed,  and  had  breakfast  sent  to  their 
rooms  at  ten  o'clock.  When  preaching  was  proposed, 
the  captain  was  not  only  willing,  but  placed  the  table, 
books,  and  chairs,  went  all  through  the  boat  and 
called  in  the  hearers,  got  them  seated  in  due  order, 
and  then  retired.  To  every  one  he  had  a  pleasant 
word,  was  especially  kind  to  ministers,  and  had  we 
not  been  witnesses  to  so  much  wickedness,  our  time 
would  have  passed  pleasantly. 

"After  a  tedious  voyage  of  five  days  we  reached 
St.  Louis,  and  immediately  went  aboard  a  Missouri- 
river  packet.  On  that  craft  also  we  had  the  usual 
variety  of  good,  bad,  and  indifferent  people.  They 
kept   an   excellent    table,  the   officers   were  civil  and 


264  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

kind,  but  the  crew  was  of  the  worst  material.  It  is  a 
long  time  since  we  heard  as  much  profanity  in  one 
week  as  we  did  among  those  firemen,  deck-hands,  and 
cabin-boys.  The  Missouri  River  was  very  low.  Our 
boat  was  large,  carrying  about  one  hundred  and  fifty 
tons  of  freight,  and  a  large  number  of  passengers, 
and  had  hard  work  to  cross  some  of  the  bars,  espe- 
cially one  at  the  mouth  of  Osage  River.  In  six  days 
we  made  fast  at  St.  Joseph,  five  hundred  and  sixty 
miles,  by  water,  from  St.  Louis. 

"Nebraska  Territory  presented  a  wild  appearance. 
The  Kickapoo  village,  consisting  of  wood  huts,  is  on 
a  commanding  elevation,  in  full  view  from  the  river. 
White  squatters  are  also  occasionally  seen  in  the 
Indian  Territory.  Should  the  Government  effect  a 
treaty  for  it,  there  will  soon  be  people  enough  there 
to  form  a  State.  Missionaries  will  soon  be  needed 
among  them.  St.  Joseph  is  a  growing  town  ;  and 
would  be  more  so,  only  for  the  encroachments  of  the 
river,  which  has  already  swept  away  one  corner  of  it. 
A  plan  is  now  devised  to  stay  this  work  of  destruc- 
tion. From  thence  to  Newark,  via  Savannah,  we 
passed  over  an  undulating  region  of  exceedingly  fertile 
land,  some  prairie,  but  most  of  it  covered  with  forest- 
trees  of  ash,  linn,  walnut,  oak,  etc.,  with  undergrowth 
of  sumach  and  hazel.  It  is  thickly  settled  by  enter- 
prising families  from  most  of  the  Western  States." 

The  Missouri  Conference  commenced  its  session 
at  Newark,  October  5th.  There  were,  at  that  time, 
about  fifty  preachers  in  the  body,  including  those  on 
trial.  The  session  was  a  harmonious  and  pleasant 
one,  and  closed  on  Monday. 


JOURNEY  TO  ARKANSAS.  26$ 

In  company  with  Rev.  J.  M.  Chivington,  Mission- 
ary to  Wyandot,  the  bishop  left  Newark  on  Tuesday, 
October  nth,  for  Fayetteville,  the  seat  of  the  Arkan- 
sas Conference.  Their  vehicle  was  a  sort  of  stage- 
vvason,  and  their  team  consisted  of  two  horses,  one 
well  "broke,"  and  the  other  not,  so  that  they  set  off 
on  the  journey  with  some  misgivings.  The  first  day's 
drive,  however,  brought  them,  without  any  serious 
mishap,  to  St.  Joseph,  where  they  completed  their 
outfit  by  adding  a  lantern,  matches,  and  tin  cup.  On 
Thursday  they  crossed  the  Missouri  River  at  Weston 
Ferry,  and  entered  Nebraska  Territory,  passing  Fort 
Leavenworth,  and  traveling  through  the  lands  of  the 
Stockbridge  Indians.  On  Friday  they  reached  Wyan- 
dot, and  visited  Mrs.  Armstrong,  a  daughter  of  the 
lamented  Rev.  Russel  Bigelow.  They  found  her 
living  comfortably  in  a  good  home,  supporting  her- 
self, in  part,  by  teaching.  Saturday  they  went  to 
the  mission  premises,  then  occupied  by  Dr.  Klepper, 
late  missionary,  and  remained  with  him  over  the  Sab- 
bath. The  bishop  made  his  first  effort  at  public 
speaking  through  an  interpreter,  on  Sunday,  and  was 
not  very  much  pleased  with  the  method. 

Leaving  the  mission-house  on  Monday.  October 
17th,  they  pursued  the  difficult  and  tedious  journey 
to  Arkansas.  Over  dim  prairie-roads,  through  dark 
and  gloomy  forests,  through  rain  and  mud,  they 
pushed  on  by  day,  obtaining  such  accommodations 
as  they  could  find  by  night  ;  and  on  the  seventh  day 
reached  Fayetteville.  On  Wednesday,  October  26th, 
the  Conference  was  opened  in  the  usual  manner. 
The   sessions   were   held  in  a  public  hall.     The  first 

23 


266  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

day  four  members  were  present,  besides  sixteen  pro- 
bationers. The  next  day  six  brethren  were  admit- 
ted into  full  connection,  and  one  was  received  by 
transfer.  Fifteen  were  subsequently  admitted  on 
trial  ;  and  ten  were  continued  on  trial.  At  the  close 
of  the  session  the  roll  stood  thus  :  Eleven  members, 
and  twenty-five  probationers  ;  total,  thirty-six.  The 
preachers  reported  one  thousand  two  hundred  and 
eighty-nine  members,  four  hundred  and  sixty-five 
probationers,  thirty  local  preachers,  and  twenty-two 
colored  members, —  making  a  grand  total  of  one 
thousand  eight  hundred  and  forty-two. 

Bishop  Morris  found  the  Arkansas  Conference 
about  as  large  as  when  he  originally  organized  it  in 
1836;  but,  in  the  mean  time,  the  great  secession  of 
1845  nad  swept  into  the  Church  South  most  of  the 
preachers  and  people.  It  was  deemed  practicable 
and  advisable,  under  all  the  circumstances,  to  close 
the  session  on  Saturday  night,  which  was  done,  with 
the  understanding,  however,  that  all  the  brethren 
would  remain  over  Sabbath,  to  witness  the  ordinations 
and  assist  in  the  religious  services. 

This  long  and  fatiguing  trip  of  three  thousand 
three  hundred  miles  was  safely  accomplished,  and  the 
bishop  found  himself  again  in  "  Home  Lodge,"  about 
the  middle  of  November. 

During  the  Winter,  besides  preaching  often'  in 
Cincinnati,  he  visited  several  of  the  interior  towns 
uf  Ohio,  preaching  with  great  acceptance  and  profit 
always,  and  encouraging  the  pastors  in  their  work. 
He  also  wrote  several  valuable  articles  for  the 
Church  press.     We    subjoin   a   few   passages   from  a 


A  PIONEER  PREACHER.  267 

very  interesting  sketch  of  a  remarkable  man,  Rev. 
James  Axley  : 

"  Long  as  I  had  been  crossing  the  path  of  that 
notable  man,  and  much  as  I  had  heard  of  him  among 
the  people,  my  first  sight  of  him  was  not  obtained 
until  the  Autumn  of  1837.  That  year  the  Holston 
Conference  met  at  Madisonville,  eastern  part  of 
Tennessee,  some  ten  miles  from  which  Mr.  Axley, 
then  in  a  superannuated  relation,  resided.  The  first 
day  of  the  session,  after  the  adjournment,  I  was 
walking  to  my  lodgings  alone,  when  I  heard  a  brother 
some  forty  steps  behind  me  say  to  another,  'Yonder 
comes  brother  Axley.'  Looking  ahead,  I  observed  a 
man  advancing  toward  me  whose  person  was  im- 
posing. He  was  perhaps  five  feet  eight  inches  high  ; 
not  corpulent,  but  very  broad  and  compactly  built, 
formed  for  strength  ;  his  step  was  firm.,  his  face  was 
square,  complexion  dark,  eyebrows  heavy,  appearance 
rugged  ;  dressed  in  the  costume  of  his  fathers,  with 
straight-breasted  coat,  and  broad-brimmed  hat  pro- 
jecting over  a  sedate  countenance.  His  wide-spread 
fame-as  a  natural  genius,  without  any  early  educa- 
tion, and  especially  the  numerous  incidents  I  had 
heard  of  him  as  a  Western  pioneer,  had  excited  in 
me  a  greater  desire  for  his  personal  acquaintance 
than  that  of  any  other  living  man  I  had  ever  seen, 
except  Jacob  Gruber.  The  sound  of  his  name  falling 
on  my  ear,  involuntarily  quickened  my  pace,  and  we 
were  soon  together.  As  I  neared  him  I  held  out 
my  right-hand,  and  received  his,  when  the  following 
salutations  were  exchanged: 

"  '  How  are  you,  brother  Axley  ?' 


268  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

"  '  Who  are  you  ?' 

"  '  My  name  is  Thomas  A.  Morris.' 

"  Then,    surveying    me    from    head    to    foot,    he 
replied  : 

"  '  Upon  my  word,  I  think  they  were  hard  pushed 
for  bishop-timber  when  they  got  hold  of  you.' 

" '  That   is   just   what   I   thought   myself,  brother 
Axley.' 

" '  Why,  you  look  too  young  for  a  bishop.' 

"'As   to    that,   I    am   old   enough  to  know  more 
and  do  better.' 

"  I  never  heard  brother  Axley  preach  ;  but,  ac- 
cording to  popular  fame,  his  pulpit  performances 
were  practical,  forcible,  and  left  a  deep  and  abiding 
impression  on  the  multitudes  that  thronged  to  hear 
him.  To  this  day,  we  occasionally  hear  allusions 
made  to  a  sermon  he  preached  in  Baltimore,  during 
the  General  Conference  of  1820,  of  which  he  was 
a  member.  It  must  have  been  a  potent  sermon,  to 
be  remembered  so  distinctly  for  the  third  of  a  cen- 
tury. I  have  heard  also,  very  frequently,  allusions 
to  his  pulpit  performances  in  different  parts  of  the 
Western  country,  where  he  had  operated  to  good 
purpose  as  a  traveling  preacher,  more  particularly  in 
Kentucky  and  Tennessee.  But  perhaps  the  effort 
which  occasioned  the  most  talk,  and  obtained  the 
greatest  notoriety,  was  the  one  said  to  have  been 
made  in  his  own  section  of  the  country,  and  was 
commonly  known  as  '  Axley's  Temperance  Sermon.' 
It  should  be  known  that  East  Tennessee,  in  those 
days,  was  regarded  as  a  great  country  for  producing 
peach-brandy,  and  for  a  free  use  of  it ;  also  that  the 


TEMPERANCE  SERMON.  269 

'New  Lights'  abounded  there,  familiarly  called  Schis- 
matics, and  that  Church  members  who  rendered 
themselves  liable  to  a  disciplinary  process  would  oc- 
casionally go  over  to  them,  as  a  city  of  refuge,  where 
they  felt  safe  from  its  restraints.  With  this  prelim- 
inary, I  proceed  to  give  a  passage  from  the  sermon, 
on  the  authority  of  a  highly  respectable  Methodist 
minister : 

"'Text:  "Alexander  the  coppersmith  did  me  much  evil:  the  Lord 
reward  him  according  to  his  works." — 2  Tim.  iv,  14. 

"'Paul  was  a  traveling  preacher,  and  a  bishop,  I  presume, 
or  a  presiding  elder  at  least;  for  he  traveled  extensively,  and 
had  much  to  do,  not  only  in  regulating  the  societies,  but  in 
sending  the  preachers  here  and  there.  He  was  zealous,  labo- 
rious, would  not  build  on  another  man's  foundation,  but  formed 
new  circuits,  where  Christ  was  not  named;  "so  that  from 
Jerusalem,  and  round  about  Illyricum,  he  had  fully  preached 
the  Gospel  of  Christ."  One  new  place  that  he  visited  was 
very  wicked  —  Sabbath-breaking,  dancing,  drinking,  fighting, 
and  swearing  abounded  ;  but  the  word  of  the  Lord  took  effect, 
there  was  a  great  stir  among  the  people,  and  many  precious 
souls  were  converted.  Among  the  subjects  of  that  work,  there 
was  a  certain  noted  character,  Alexander  by  name,  and  a  still- 
maker  by  trade;  also  one  Hymeneus,  who  was  his  partner  in 
the  business.  Paul  formed  a  new  class,  and  appointed  brother 
Alexander  class-leader.  There  was  a  great  change  in  the 
place;  the  people  left  off  their  drinking,  swearing,  fighting, 
etc.,  and  the  stills  were  worked  up  into  bells  and  kettles, 
and  thus  applied  to  useful  purposes.  The  settlement  was 
orderly,  the  meetings  were  prosperous,  and  things  went  well 
among  them  for  some  time.  But  one  year  they  had  a  pleasant 
Spring;  there  was  no  late  frost,  and  the  peach-crop  was 
abundant.  I  do  suppose,  my  brethren,  that  such  a  crop 
was  never  known  before.  One  Sunday,  when  the  brethren 
met  for  worship,  they  gathered  round  outside  of  the  meet- 
ing-house, and  got  to  talking  about  their  worldly  affairs — as 
you  know  people  sometimes  do,  and  a  very  bad   habit  it  is — 


2yO  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

and  one  said  to  another,  "Brother,  how  is  the  peach-crop 
with  you  this  year?"  "O,"  said  he,  "you  never  saw  any 
thing  like  it;  they  are  rotting  on  the  ground  under  the  trees; 
I  don't  know  what  to  do  with  them."  "How  would  it  do," 
inquired  another,  "to  still  them?  The  peaches  will  go  to 
waste,  but  the  brandy  will  keep;  and  it  is  very  good  in  certain 
cases,  if  not  used  to  excess."  "I  should  like  to  know,"  said 
another,  "how  you  could  make  brandy  without  stills  ?"  "Why, 
it  was  answered,  "brother  Alexander  is  as  good  a  still-maker 
as  need  be,  and  brother  Hymeneus  is  another;  and  rather  than 
see  the  fruit  wasted  they  would,  no  doubt,  make  us  a  few." 

"  'The  next  thing  heard  on  the  subject  was  a  hammering  in 
the  class-leader's  shop;  and  soon  the  stills  in  every  brother's 
orchard  were  smoking,  and  the  liquid  poison  streaming.  When 
one  called  on  another,  the  bottle  was  brought  out,  with  the 
remark,  "I  want  you  to  taste  my  new  brandy;  I  think  it  is 
pretty  good."  So  they  tasted,  until  many  of  them  got  about 
half  drunk,  or  perhaps  three-quarters.  Soon  the  society  was 
all  in  an  uproar ;  and  Paul  was  sent  for,  to  come  and  settle  the 
difficulty.  At  first  it  was  difficult  to  find  sober,  disinterested 
ones  enough  to  try  the  guilty  ;  but  finally  he  got  his  committee 
formed,  and  the  first  one  he  called  to  account  was  Alexander, 
who  pleaded  not  guilty.  He  declared  that  he  had  not  tasted, 
bought,  sold,or  distilled  a  drop  of  brandy.  "But,"  said  Paul, 
"you  made  the  'stills,'  otherwise  there  could  have  been  no 
liquor  made;  and  if  no  liquor  were  made,  no  one  would  be 
intoxicated."  So  they  expelled  him  first,  then  Hymeneus;  and 
went  on  until  the  society  was  relieved  of  all  still-makers,  dis- 
tillers, dram-sellers,  and  dram-drinkers,  and  peace  was  once 
more  restored.  Paul  says:  "Holding  faith  and  a  good  con- 
science ;  which  some  having  put  away,  concerning  faith  have 
made  shipwreck  ;  of  whom  is  Hymeneus  and  Alexander, 
whom  I  have  delivered  unto  Satan,  that  they  may  learn  not  to 
blaspheme."  » " 

In  the  early  part  of  1854,  Bishop  Morris  visited 
Urbana,  Oxford,  Dresden,  Roscoe,  Coshocton,  Cleve- 
land, and  New  Richmond,  preaching  at  all  these 
points  greatly  to  the  edification  of  the  Churches.    He 


MEE  TING  OF  B  OA  RD  OF  BISHOPS.  2  7 1 

presided  over  the  Black-river  Conference,  at  Cam- 
den, New  York,  May  31st,  and  on  his  return  home 
immediately  arranged  a  plan  of  extra  appointments 
for  the  Summer,  embracing  a  large  number  of  charges, 
chiefly  in  the  State  of  Ohio.  His  official  tour  of  con- 
ferences for  this  year  embraced  the  Wisconsin,  at 
Janesville,  August  29th  ;  the  Rock-river,  at  Lewis- 
town,  Illinois,  September  13th  ;  the  Iowa,  at  Dubuque, 
September  27th  ;  the  Illinois,  at  Springfield,  Octo- 
ber 1  ith. 

About  the  first  of  December  he  left  home  to  attend 
the  annual  meeting  of  the  bishops  in  the  city  of  Bal- 
timore. The  entire  Board — Waugh,  Morris,  Janes, 
Scott,  Simpson,  Baker,  and  Ames — were  present,  and 
the  meeting  was  continued  for  six  days.  While 
together,  they  reviewed  the  administration  of  each, 
revised  the  Plan  of  Episcopal  Visitations  for  the  ensu- 
ing year,  surveyed  the  whole  fi^Jd  of  the  home  and 
foreign  work,  and  made  a  distribution  of  the  latter  as 
well  as  of  the  former.  The  foreign  work  assigned  to 
Bishop  Morris  was  Western  Europe,  including  Ger- 
many, France,  Sweden,  and  Norway.  It  was  not  ex- 
pected that  he  would  personally  visit  these  foreign 
missions,  but  select,  commission,  and  send  forth  labor- 
ers, as  the  exigencies  of  the  work  might  demand,  and 
superintend  them  by  correspondence. 

In  1855,  Bishop  Morris  presided  over  the  West 
Virginia  Conference,  at  Wheeling,  May  30th  ;  the 
Pittsburg,  at  Johnstown,  June  13th  ;  the  Erie,  at 
Newcastle,  July  nth;  the  Ohio,  at  Athens,  Septem- 
ber 5th  ;  the  Cincinnati,  at  Urbana,  September  26th; 
and  the  Kentucky,  at  Maysville,  October  nth. 


272  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

In  addition  to  his  ordinary  official  duties  this 
year,  Bishop  Morris  made  many  extra  visits  to  the 
Churches  within  easy  reach  of  his  home,  every-where 
preaching  the  Word.  He  also  wrote  several  articles 
for  the  periodical  press,  the  chief  of  which  were: 
"My  Pocket  Bible,"  "State  of  Religion,"  and  "Fast 
People,"  published  in  the  Ladies  Repository? 


EPISCOPAL  ADDRESS.  273 


CHAPTER   XII. 

GENERAL   CONFERENCE    OF    1 85 6 — LITERARY  AND  EPISCOPAL 
LABORS. 

THE  General  Conference  of  1856  assembled  in 
the  Representatives'  Hall  of  the  capitol  in  the 
city  of  Indianapolis,  on  the  first  day  of  May,  as  usual. 
Bishops  Waugh,  Morris,  Janes,  Scott,  Simpson,  Baker, 
and  Ames  were  present.  The  opening  religious  serv- 
ices were  conducted  by  Bishop  Waugh.  The  Con- 
ference was  composed  of  two  hundred  and  twenty 
delegates,  representing  thirty-eight  annual  confer- 
ences. The  Episcopal  Address  was  read  on  Saturday, 
the  third  day  of  the  session,  by  Bishop  Janes.  As 
the  original  draft  of  this  document  was  prepared  by 
Bishop  Morris,  at  the  request  of  his  colleagues,  a 
brief  resume  of  its  contents  may  be  appropriately 
given  here.  After  the  usual  congratulatory  opening 
sentences,  and  a  tribute  to  members  of  the  preceding 
General  Conference,  who  had  died  since  its  session, 
the  address  refers,  with  gratitude  to  the  great  Head 
of  the  Church,  to  the  prosperity  enjoyed  during  the 
last  quadrennial  period.  The  increase  of  traveling 
preachers  in  that  time  had  been  958  ;  of  local  peach- 
ers,  910;  of  members  and  probationers,  TJ^J.  But 
the  numerical  table  did   not  exhibit  all   the  fruit  of 


274  LIFE   0F  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

that  four  years  of  labor.  Very  many  new  houses  of 
worship  had  been  erected,  better  provision  had  been 
made  for  the  support  of  the  ministry  than  ever  before, 
and  the  contributions  of  the  Church  for  missions  and 
other  benevolent  objects  had  been  largely  augmented. 

The  address  suggested  certain  changes  of  Disci- 
pline; namely, — I.  The  rule  requiring  the  concurrent 
advice  of  all  the  annual  conferences,  to  authorize  the 
bishops  to  call  an  extra  session  of  the  General  Con- 
ference. 2.  The  ratio  of  representation,  now  so  great 
as  to  render  the  body  too  large  for  the  rapid  and 
convenient  transaction  of  business,  should  be  reduced, 
so  as  to  authorize  not  less  than  one  representative  for 
every  thirty  members  of  annual  conferences.  3.  A 
change  was  recommended  in  the  section  defining  the 
method  of  proceeding  against  accused  traveling  preach- 
ers. The  tribunals  were  too  large  to  hope  for  the 
undivided  attention  of  all  the  members  during  the 
progress  of  a  complex  case,  and  the  loss  of  time  to 
a  large  body  of  pastors  was  a  serious  one,  to  be  obvi- 
ated, if  possible.  It  was  recommended  that  such 
cases  be  referred  to  a  select  number,  not  exceeding 
fifteen. 

The  address  then  reviews,  in  detail,  the  various 
interests  of  the  Church — Educational,  Publishing,  the 
Tract  Cause,  Sunday-schools,  and  Missions — accompa- 
nied with  such  suggestions  as  the  exigencies  of  each 
department  seemed  to  call  for.  The  General  Confer- 
ence was  also  informed  that,  in  compliance  with  the 
request  of  the  Troy,  Erie,  North  Ohio,  and  Wiscon- 
sin Conferences,  different  resolutions,  asking  a  change 
in  the  General  Rule  on  Slavery,  had  been  laid  before 


CONFER EA'CES  A  TTENDED.  275 

all  the  annual  conferences  for  their  concurrence,  but 
that  no  one  of  these  resolutions  received  the  consti- 
tutional majority  of  the  members  of  the  annual  con- 
ferences. 

The  modifications  of  Discipline  recommended  in 
this  Address  were  all  adopted.  The  session  was  a 
protracted  one,  the  final  adjournment  taking  place  on 
the  fourth  day  of  June  ;  but  the  proceedings  generally 
were  harmonious,  and  the  results  satisfactory.  Rev. 
John  Hannah,  D.  D.,  and  Rev.  Frederick  J.  Jobson, 
were  present  as  delegates  from  the  British  Wesleyan 
Conference,  and,  by  their  personal  intercourse  and 
admirable  public  addresses  and  sermons,  greatly 
strengthened  the  bonds  of  union  between  two  bodies 
of  a  common  origin.  Bishop  Simpson  and  Rev.  John 
M'Clintock,  D.  D.,  were  elected  delegates  to  the 
British  Conference. 

After  General  Conference,  Bishop  Morris  presided 
over  the  Troy  Conference,  at  Burlington,  Vermont, 
June  1 8th  ;  the  Wyoming  Conference,  at  Binghamp- 
ton,  New  York,  July  2d  ;  the  Genesee  Conference, 
at  Medina,  New  York,  September  3d;  the  Detroit 
Conference,  at  Adrian,  September  17th  ;  and  the 
Michigan,  at  Coldwater,  October  1st. 

Soon  after  reaching  home  from  this  tour,  he  and 
Bishop  Ames  were  summoned  to  Chicago,  to  attend 
a  meeting  of  the  Western  Book  Committee,  held  for 
the  purpose  of  appointing  an  editor  to  the  Northzvest- 
ern  CJiristiaii  Advocate,  a  place  made  vacant  by  the 
death  of  the  brilliant  and  lamented  Rev.  J.  V.  Wat- 
son. Rev.  Thomas  M.  Eddy  was  chosen,  and  was 
twice  subsequently  re-elected  to  the  position  by  the 


276  LIFE    OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

General  Conference.  On  the  journey  home  from  Chi- 
cago, the  train  on  which  Bishop  Morris  was  a  passen- 
ger was  thrown  from  the  track,  but  very  fortunately 
no  one  was  injured  by  the  accident.  A  cold  and 
cheerless  night,  passed  in  the  forest  while  the  train 
was  being  righted,  was  better  than  broken  bones — a 
result  from  which  all  were  glad  to  have  escaped. 

On  the  8th  of  November  he  left  home  for  New 
York,  to  attend  the  meeting  of  the  General  Mission 
Committee,  the  Missionary  Anniversary,  and  the 
annual  meeting  of  the  bishops.  On  his  way  east, 
he  spent  a  Sabbath  in  the  city  of  Cleveland,  and 
preached  to  a  large  congregation.  While  in  New 
York,  he  preached  several  times  in  that  city  and  in 
Brooklyn. 

In  1857,  Bishop  Morris  attended  the  New  Jersey 
Conference,  which  met  at  Trenton,  April  8th,  Bishop 
Scott  presiding,  and,  after  assisting  his  colleague 
three  days,  proceeded  to  fill  his  own  appointments, 
which  were,  that  year,  as  follows  :  The  New  York 
Eastern  Conference,  which  met  in  Brooklyn,  April 
15th  ;  the  New  Hampshire,  which  met  in  Lawrence, 
Massachusetts,  April  30th  ;  the  East  Maine,  which 
met  in  Camden,  May  20th ;  the  Ohio,  which  met  in 
Chillicothe,  August  26th  ;  the  Cincinnati,  which  met 
in  Piqua,  September  9th  ;  the  South-eastern  Indiana, 
which  met  in  Aurora,  September  23d  ;  and  the  Indi- 
ana, which  met  in  New  Albany,  October  1st. 

About  this  time  Bishop  Morris  wrote,  and  pub- 
lished in  the  Ladies  Repository,  an  article  entitled  : 
"My  Father  in  the  Gospel,"  a  sketch  of  Rev.  David 
Young,  which,  both  on  account  of  the  writer  and  the 


REV.  DAVID  YOUNG.  2  J  J 

subject,  is  entitled  to  a  place  in  this  biography.     We 
make  room  for  the  material   parts  of  the  sketch  : 

"Mr.  Young  was  one  of  the  few  Methodist  preach- 
ers whom  I  knew  prior  to  my  becoming  a  Methodist. 
Our  acquaintance  began  in  the  Fall  of  1812,  when 
he  was  presiding  elder  on  Muskingum  District,  then 
including,  in  its  ample  range,  Zanesville,  Marietta, 
and  North-western  Virginia,  where  I  resided,  and 
where  he  was  perfectly  at  home,  being  himself  a 
native  of  Washington  County,  Virginia,  born  March 
9,  1779.  Most  of  my  early  views  and  impressions  of 
Methodism  were  derived  from  him.  It  is  true,  I  had 
felt  conviction  for  sin  from  childhood,  and  that  Robert 
Caseboult,  then  a  class-leader,  had  taken  interest  for 
me,  and  talked  with  me,  before  I  heard  Mr.  Young, 
and  I  was  seriously  inquiring  for  the  way  of  life. 
But  in  July,  18 13,  while  I  listened  to  David  Young 
preaching  at  camp-meeting,  on  the  Parable  of  the 
Sower,  I  was  brought  to  form  a  solemn  purpose  to 
seek  earnestly  for  salvation  till  I  should  obtain  it.  In 
August  I  joined  a  small  country  class  as  a  penitent 
seeker  on  trial.  I  had  prayed  in  secret  for  months, 
but  made  little  progress  till  I  took  this  decisive  step, 
and  thus  drew  a  separating  line  from  my  irreligious 
associates.  The  conflict  with  sin  thus  renewed,  con- 
tinued till  some  time  in  November,  when  I  obtained 
some  relief  and  comfort,  and  on  Christmas  I  received 
a  clear  sense  of  pardon,  and  a  full  "spirit  of  adop- 
tion." In  the  mean  time,  I  missed  none  of  Elder 
Young's  quarterly-meetings.  At  one  of  them  he  bap- 
tized me  in  the  presence  of  a  multitude ;  and  the 
same  day  on  which  he  poured  the  water  on  my  head, 


278  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

the  Lord  poured  plentifully  his  Spirit  into  my  heart. 
When  I  was  recommended* by  the  society  for  license 
to  preach,  Elder  Young  examined  me  before  the  Quar- 
terly Conference.  He  also  wrote  and  signed  my  first 
license  to  preach,  dated  April  2,  1814.  In  181 5  he 
employed  me  as  junior  preacher  on  a  circuit,  and  in 
1816  I  was  admitted  on  trial  by  the  Ohio  Confer- 
ence. From  that  till  18 18,  being  separated  in  the 
work,  our  acquaintance  was  .perpetuated  by  free  cor- 
respondence; but  from  18 18  to  1820,  he,  being  super- 
annuated, was  my  constant  hearer  in  Zanesville,  where 
he  resided.  He  continued  his  efforts  in  every  prac- 
ticable way  for  my  improvement,  and,  indeed,  till  I 
graduated  to  elder's  orders,  he  took  as  much  interest 
in  my  ministerial  education  as  if  I  had  been  his 
natural  son. 

"  In  person,  Mr.  Young  was  tall  and  slender,  but 
straight  and  symmetrical.  His  step  was  elastic. 
He  wore  the  straight-breasted  coat  and  the  broad- 
brimmed  hat  usual  among  early  Methodist  preachers. 
His  yellow  hair,  all  combed  back,  hung  in.  great  pro- 
fusion about  his  neck  and  shoulders,  giving  him  an 
imposing  appearance.  His  deep-blue  eyes  were 
prominent,  and  exceedingly  penetrating.  I  heard  a 
Virginia  lawyer  say  'he  could  withstand  the  direct 
contact  of  any  preacher's  eye  in  the  pulpit  he  ever 
saw,  except  David  Young's  ;  but  his  always  made 
him  quail.' 

"  In  manners,  he  was  a  finished  gentleman,  well 
raised,  and  familiar  with  the  rules  of  polite  society. 
The  social  element  was  not  largely  developed  in  his 
composition  ;    at    least,  not   apparently  so  in  general 


CHARACTER  AND  EDUCATION,  279 

society.  When  with  his  personal  friends,  there  was 
no  more  pleasant  companion  than  he  was  ;  and  to 
strangers  he  was  civil  and  very  respectful,  except 
they  took  improper  liberty,  or  asked  an  impertinent 
question,  when  they  were  pretty  sure  to  receive  a 
stern  rebuke.  Any  individual,  however  weak  or  ob- 
scure, approaching  him  as  an  inquirer  after  truth  for 
its  own  sake,  never  failed  to  profit  by  his  ample 
instruction  ;  but  woe  unto  the  captious  fault-finder 
who  rudely  attacked  him  or  his  creed.  Willi  such  a 
man  he  did  not  stop  to  argue  ;  but  demolished  him 
with  one  withering  sarcasm,  and  passed  on.  When 
a  weak  but  conceited  predestinarian  attacked  him  on 
perseverance,  saying,  '  So,  Mr.  Young,  you  believe  in 
falling  from  grace,  do  you?'  he  promptly  replied,  'I 
believe  in  getting  it  first.' 

"  Mr.  Young  was  a  man  of  respectable  erudition. 
Prior  to  his  entering  the  ministry,  he  taught  a  gram- 
mar-school for  young  men.  Subsequently  he  jead  as 
many  books,  as  well  selected,  and  understood  them 
as  thoroughly,  as  any  man  of  my  acquaintance.  He 
was  possessed  of  extensive  knowledge  on  general  as 
well  as  on  theological  subjects.  Philosophy,  general 
history,  laws  of  nations,  systems  of  government,  and 
our  own  Federal  and  State  affairs,  were  with  him 
familiar  topics.  He  was  particularly  well  versed  in 
Church  history  and  Methodist  jurisprudence.  Who- 
ever enjoyed  a  free  conversation  with  him  was  en- 
lightened by  it.  He  abounded  in  incident,  and  had 
a  rare  talent  for  narration,  both  in  the  pulpit  and  in 
social  life  ;  yet,  as  a  minister,  he  was  grave  and  dig- 
nified.    No  man  conducted  a  public  religious  service 


280  LIFE  OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

more  solemnly  or  impressively  than  he  did,  especially 
in  reading  the  Scriptures  and  in  prayer.  He  was 
deeply  experienced  in  the  work  of  saving  grace.  I 
heard  him  say  in  a  love-feast,  before  a  large  assembly 
of  Christian  friends,  'he  knew  where  and  when  he 
was  converted,  and  where  and  when  he  was  sanc- 
tified.' And,  allowing  for  his  constitutional  pecul- 
iarities, he  honored  his  profession.  His  deep  religious 
emotion  was  always  apparent  in  his  prayers  and  ser- 
mons. While  preaching,  his  eyes  were  generally 
suffused  with  tears  of  sympathy ;  and  occasionally 
they  fell  like  drops  of  rain,  as  if  the  great  deep  of 
his  heart  was  broken  up.  On  special  occasions, 
while  applying  the  momentous  truths  of  the  Gospel, 
he  stood  on  his  knees  in  the  pulpit,  and  with  many 
tears  entreated  sinners,  as  in  Christ's  stead,  to  be 
reconciled  to  God.  Such  appeals  were  not  easily 
resisted  ;  for  at  such  times  he  spoke  and  exhorted  'in 
demonstration  of  the  Spirit  and  of  power.' 

"Among  the  most  noted  Methodist  preachers  of 
their  day,  were  William  Beauchamp,  Samuel  Parker, 
and  David  Young,  each  of  whom  excelled  in  his  own 
way.  Beauchamp  was  the  most  instructive,  Parker 
the  most  persuasive  and  practical,  and  Young  the 
most  overpowering.  It  was  my  good  fortune,  when 
young  in  the  ministry,  to  hear  them  all.  Under  the 
preaching  of  Beauchamp,  light  seemed  to  break  on 
the  most  bewildered  understanding ;  under  that  of 
Parker,  multitudes  of  people  melted  like  snow  before 
an  April  sun  ;  while  under  the  ministry  of  Young,  I 
knew  whole  assemblies  electrified  by  one  paragraph, 
as   suddenly  and    sensibly   as  if   coming    in    contact 


EFFECT  OF  MR.   YOUNG'S  PREACHING.        28  I 

with  a  galvanic  battery.  I  have  myself,  under  some 
of  his  powerful  appeals,  felt  cold  tremors  coursing 
down  both  sides  of  my  spine,  and  the  hair  on  my 
head  apparently  standing  on  end.  On  some  camp- 
meeting  occasions,  where  the  surroundings  were 
unusually  exciting,  under  his  preaching  whole  multi- 
tudes simultaneously  sprang  from  their  seats  and 
rushed  as  near  to  the  pulpit  as  they  could  stand  to- 
gether, seemingly  unconscious  of  changing  positions. 
His  force  was  not  in  imagination  or  declamation,  but 
in  the  proper  combination  and  earnest  presentation 
of  Gospel  truth.  And  the  deep  impressions  thus 
made  were  generally  lasting  ;  for  the  truth  was 
applied  to  many  hearts  by  the  Holy  Spirit.  While 
he  greatly  excelled  as  a  preacher,  he  was  a  man  of 
mark,  wherever  known.  In  his  own  Conference,  he 
was  among  the  few  acknowledged  as  leaders  ;  and  in 
the  General  Conference  his  weight  was  felt  and 
admitted,  as  a  business  man  and  a  leader." 

In  1858,  the  death  of  Bishop  Waugh,  which  oc- 
curred on  the  9th  of  February,  and  the  impaired 
health  of  Bishop  Simpson,  made  necessary  a  revision 
of  the  Plan  of  Episcopal  Visitations.  The  year  was 
one  of  extraordinary  labor  to  such  of  the  bishops  as 
were  able  to  perform  service,  especially  to  such  as 
began  to  feel  the  weight  of  years.  In  the  Spring, 
Bishop  Morris  presided  over  the  Kentucky  Confer- 
ence, at  Covington,  March  25th  ;  the  Minnesota,  at 
St.  Paul,  April  15th  ;  the  West  Wisconsin,  at  La 
Crosse,  April  29th ;  and  the  Wisconsin,  at  Beloit, 
May  1 2th.  Of  his  trip  home  from  Beloit,  the  bishop 
gave   an   interesting   account    to   the  readers  of  the 

24 


282  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

Northwestern  Christian  Advocate \  from  which  we  take 
a  few  passages  : 

"The  Conference  at  Beloit  terminated  a  pleasant 
session,  May  18th  ;  and,  at  half-past  six  next  morning, 
I  left  for  home.  About  noon  I  reached  Chicago  ; 
and,  after  surveying  the  new  church-edifice  on 
Wabash  Avenue,  and  enjoying  the  hospitalities  of 
Dr.  Eddy,  I  got  off  at  half-past  nine  o'clock  at 
night,  amid  falling  showers  and  darkness  profound, 
all  which  availed  nothing  to  arrest  the  progress  or 
depress  the  spirits  of  one  homeward-bound. 

"While  my  strange  fellow-passengers  were  mostly 
nodding  or  snoring,  and  my  afternoon  nap  had  re- 
lieved me  of  all  sense  of  drowsiness,  it  became  a 
question,  'How  shall  I  pass  the  night?'  Now,  riding 
in  the  cars  generally  revives  in  me  the  spirit  of  song, 
especially  when  returning  home  from  a  hard  campaign  ; 
but  only  the  spirit.  My  singing  days  for  the  enter- 
tainment of  others  are  past  ;  but  I  often  hold  a 
concert  with  myself,  as  I  did  that  night.  My  plan 
of  self-entertainment  was  soon  arranged — the  pro- 
gramme being  as  follows  : 

"I.  'I  am  weary  of  straying, 
O,  fain  would  I  rest,'  etc. 

2.  '  O  thou  God  of  my  salvation, 

My  redeemer  from  all  sin,'  etc. 

3.  '  How  sweet  the  name  of  Jesus  sounds 

In  a  believer's  ear,'  etc. 

4.  '  O,  sing  to  me  of  heaven, 

When  I  am  called  to  die,'  etc. 

5.  4  Joyfully,  joyfully,  onward  I  move,'  etc 

6.  '  Have  you  heard,  have  you  heard, 

Of  that  sun-bright  clime,'  etc. 


RAILROAD  MISERIES.  283 

"  Now,  whatever  be  thought  of  the  performance, 
the  programme  was  excellent.  These  pieces  are 
some  of  my  favorites.  I  found  I  could  repeat  them 
all  from  memory.  It  was  a  free  concert, — went  off 
well.  The  effect  was  delightful,  and  the  performance 
filled  most  of  the  time  from  Michigan  City  to  La- 
fayette ;  my  manner  being  to  hum  the  tunes,  re- 
peating the  words  in  a  subdued  voice,  so  that  when 
the  train  is  under  way  I  am  heard  only  by  myself. 

"Arrived  at  Lafayette,  at  about  five  o'clock  in 
the  morning,  we  were  all  roused  by  the  proclamation 
of  the  conductor,  that  'the  passengers  for  Indianapolis 
and  Cincinnati  remain  over  here  till  three  o'clock 
this  afternoon.'  On  this  unwelcome  intelligence,  we 
held  a  colloquy  with  the  conductor,  which  elicited 
the  fact  that  the  detention  was  caused  by  a  broken 
bridge,  and  that  those  who  preferred  it  could  con- 
tinue on  the  New  Albany  and  Salem  Railway  to 
Greencastle,  and  thence  to  Indianapolis.  Thinking 
that  better  than  waiting  ten  hours,  I  determined  to 
try  it,  and  was  soon  off  again. 

"As  we  neared  the  deep  chasm  at  Crawfordsville, 
the  train  came  to  a  stand-still,  when  we  were  politely 
informed,  'The  passengers  will  have  to  do  a  little 
walking  here.'  We  all  promptly  obeyed  orders.  To 
our  right  was  a  bluff  not  to  be  passed.  On  our  left, 
from  the  lowest  step  of  the  car,  we  had  to  let  our- 
selves down  some  two  or  three  feet.  The  platform 
to  land  on  was  a  hill-side  falling  off  at  an  angle  of 
about  forty-five  degrees.  For  some  distance,  we 
clambered  along  as  we  could  without  slipping  down  ; 
then,  through   sludge  and   over  logs,  till  we  found  a 


284  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

sloping  point  leading  down  toward  the  ravine.  The 
ladies'  dresses  got  well  varnished  with  Hoosier  loam. 
When  down,  our  next  feat  of  activity  was  to  leap 
over  a  narrow  stream  of  water.  Then  came  the  hard 
pinch, — to  ascend  the  bluff  beyond.  It  was  nearly 
perpendicular  ;  but  the  grade  was  reduced  by  exca- 
vating steps  obliquely,  at  intervals  of  two  feet  or 
more,  on  which  to  rise.  The  young  and  light  pas- 
sengers went  up  quickly;  but  with  .my  heavy  over- 
coat, covering  two  hundred  and  thirty  pounds  of 
humanity,  locomotion  was  difficult,  as  the  muscles  of 
my  lower  limbs  testified  on  gaining  the  summit,  where 
we  found  another  train  waiting.  This  tedious  and 
painful  transfer  was  made  necessary  by  the  destruc- 
tion of  the  bridge  which  had  spanned  that  fearful 
chasm,  but  had  been  carried  away  by  a  recent  freshet. 
"On  reaching  Indianapolis,  and  finding  I  had  two 
or  three  hours  to  wait,  I  called  on  my  faithful  friend, 
Rev.  Augustus  Eddy,  and  baptized  my  namesake, 
his  grandson,  Zara  Morris  Edwards,  of  Red  Wing. 
That  evening,  May  20th,  I  reached  my  quiet  '  Home 
Lodge.'  One  circumstance  connected  with  this  trip 
was  remarkable :  Between  Clinton,  Wisconsin,  and 
Cincinnati,  I  did  not  see  in  the  cars  a  man,  woman, 
or  child  I  *had  ever  seen  before,  to  my  knowledge. 
This  suited  me  exactly,  as  then  situated.  I  love  the 
society  of  friends  when  in  a  condition  to  enjoy.it; 
but  when  I  have  been  talked  to  one  week  right 
straight  along,  day  and  night,  in  the  chair  and  out 
of  it,  I  am  so  worn  out  that  solitude  becomes  at  once 
a  luxury  and  a  medicine." 

Bishop  Morris  next  presided  over  the  Upper  Iowa 


CONFERENCE  SESSIONS.  285 

Conference,  at  Lyons,  August  25th;  thence  to  the 
Iowa  Conference,  at  Fairfield,  September  8th  ;  thence 
to  the  Illinois  Conference,  at  Griggsville,  September 
22cl  ;  thence  to  the  Southern  Illinois,  at  Olney,  Octo- 
ber 6th  ;  and  thence  home. 

The  annual  meeting  of  the  bishops  was  held  in 
Chicago,  December  2d.  Present,  Morris,  Janes,  Baker, 
and  Ames  ;  absent,  Scott  and  Simpson.  The  plan 
made  out  at  this  meeting  was  subsequently  remod- 
eled, to  enable  one  of  the  bishops  to  visit  the  Pacific 
Coast,  and  preside  over  the  California  and  Oregon 
Conferences.  On  account  of  family  affliction,  Bishop 
Morris  was  assigned  to  such  work  as  would  require 
the  least  travel  and  absence  from  home.  He  presided 
at  the  Kentucky  Conference,  Alexandria,  March  20, 
1859;  tne  North  Indiana,  at  Logansport,  April  7th; 
the  West  Virginia,  at  Parkersburg,  April  20th  ;  and 
the  Pittsburg,  at  Alleghany  City,  April  27th.  Leav- 
ing home  on  Tuesday,  April  19th,  he  arrived  at 
Parkersburg  on  the  same  evening,  and  opened  the 
session  of  the  West  Virginia  Conference  next  morn- 
ing. Closing  this  Conference  session  on  the  following 
Monday,  he  had  one  day  in  which  to*  reach  Alleghany 
City.  Taking  the  Baltimore  train  on  Monday  night 
to  the  Grafton  Junction,  he  there  waited  for  the  early 
morning  train  for  the  West,  by  which  means  he 
reached  Wheeling  on  Tuesday  in  time  to  connect 
with  the  train  from  Bellaire  through  Steubenville ; 
and  thus,  by  traveling  day  and  night,  reached  the 
seat  of  the  Pittsburg  Conference  on  Tuesday  evening. 

Early  in  June  the  bishops  met  in  Pittsburg  to 
revise   their   Plan,  with   a  view   to  send  one  of  their 


286  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

nnmoer  to  the  Pacific  Coast,  as  before  stated.  Bishop 
Baker  was  designated  for  that  service.  Bishop  Mor- 
ris's Fall  conferences  this  year  were  the  Delaware, 
at  Fremont,  Ohio,  September  14th  ;  and  the  North- 
west Indiana,  at  Greencastle,  September  28th.  In 
addition  to  his  regular  official  duties,  he  wrote  out 
for  publication  "A  Discourse  on  Methodist  Church 
Polity,"  a  sermon  which  he  had  delivered  in  the 
Spring  at  the  sessions  of  the  North  Indiana  and  Pitts- 
burg Conferences,  and  which  had  been  requested  for 
publication  by  both  those  bodies.  As  this  sermon 
embodies  the  bishop's  mature  thoughts  on  our  Church 
polity,  the  substance  of  it  seems  well  entitled  to  a 
place  in  his  biography.  We  begin  with  the  paragraph 
entitled,  "The  Starting-point,"  on  the  sixteenth  page: 
"In  Methodism,  the  starting-point  is  the  love  of 
God  as  developed  in  redemption,  in  the  gift  of  the 
Spirit,  and  the  Divine  call  to  the  work  of  the  min- 
istry. Without  redemption,  there  is  no  possible  sal- 
vation for  sinners ;  without  the  Holy  Spirit,  there 
could  be  no  personal  application  of  the  benefits  of 
redemption  ;  and  without  some  one  be  called  to  teach 
us,  we  should  remain  ignorant  of  our  blood-bought 
privileges,  as  Paul  said  to  the  Romans:  'For  whoso- 
ever shall  call  upon  the  name  of  the  Lord,  shall  be 
saved.  How,  then,  shall  they  call  on  him  in  whom 
they  have  not  believed  ?  and  how  shall  they  believe 
in  him  of  whom  they  have  not  heard  ?  and  how  shall 
they  hear  without  a  preacher?  and  how  shall  they 
preach  except  they  be  sent  ?'  Now,  suppose  a  nation 
in  which  there  is  not  one  experimental,  practical 
Christian  :  how  would   the  saving  knowledge  of   the 


METHODIST  CHURCH  POLITY.  287 

truth  first  be  communicated  ?  To  convert  souls  is 
God's  work  ;•  but  he  usually  employs  human  instru- 
mentality to  teach  them  their  lost  condition  and  their 
remedy.  We  say,  usually,  but  not  necessarily  ;  for  he 
can  work  with  or  without  outward  means.  He,  how- 
ever, so  far  as  we  know  and  believe,  employs  only 
such  as  possess  the  knowledge  necessary  to  be  im- 
parted to  others.  Sinners  can  not  savingly  enlighten 
each  other.  It  requires  a  converted  man  to  get  other 
men  converted,  or  they  must  be  operated  on  by  the 
Holy  Spirit,  independent  of  human  interference. 
Then,  to  originate  a  work  of  saving  grace,  we  may 
rationally  conclude,  where  there  are  no  examples  of 
it  previously,  God  must  do  one  of  two  things, — first, 
he  would  send  a  converted  man  from  some  Christian 
country  to  teach,  warn,  and  invite  souls  to  Christ ;  or, 
secondly,  he  would,  by  his  Word  and  Spirit,  awaken, 
enlighten,  and  call  some  sinner,  grant  him  repent- 
ance, faith,  pardon,  regeneration,  and  adoption,  and 
then  send  him  out  among  his  neighbors  to  tell  them 
what  the  Lord  had  done  for  him  and  was  willing  to 
do  for  them.  In  either  case,  there  is  a  missionary  in 
the  field.  And  when  he  gets  one  soul  converted,  he 
has  one  witness  and  one  helper.  Their  united  influ- 
ence will  prevail  with  others,  and  the  work  will 
enlarge  itself  till  the  number  will  require  an  under- 
standing as  to  the  terms  of  fellowship. 

"A  Little  Organization. — When  converts  are 
multiplied  from  units  to  tens,  some  kind  of  organiza- 
tion becomes  necessary  to  maintain  unity  and  peace. 
They  may  begin  with  a  record  of  the  names  of  all 
the   converts   or  persons    proposed    for   membership. 


288  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

These  form  the  nucleus  of  the  Church.  The  mis- 
sionary pastor  and  his  children  in  the  Gospel  are  of 
one  heart  and  mind.  To  remain  so  they  must  adopt 
some  simple  code  based  on  the  Bible,  defining  their 
faith  and  practice.  They  must  agree  on  the  Scrip- 
tural standards  of  morality  and  godliness,  to  prevent 
future  difficulty;  also  the  respective  rights  and  duties 
of  pastor  and  members,  when  and  where  they  will 
meet  for  religious  worship,  and  what  shall  be  the 
order  of  their  public  and  social  exercises.  They  will 
likewise  need  certain  officers  to  promote  the.  inter- 
ests of  the  society  in  its  various  departments,  and 
strengthen  the  hands  and  hearts  of  pastor  and  people. 
They  who  are  strong  in  faith,*  gifted  in  prayer,  and 
apt  to  teach,  are  appointed  leaders  of  prayer-meetings 
and  class-meetings.  Active  and  pious  sisters  may  be 
highly  useful  among  the  serious,  the  sick,  and  the 
poor.  Such  brethren  as  may  possess  deep  piety, 
sound  judgment,  and  business  habits,  are  elected  stew- 
ards to  take  charge  of  the  secular  affairs  of  the 
Church.  They  who  have  financial  skill  and  general 
influence  in  Church  extension  are  chosen  as  trustees. 
And  such  as  have  aptitude  to  teach  and  manage  chil- 
dren and  youth  are  assigned  to  the  Sabbath-school 
department.  Thus  they  proceed  to  perfect  the  little 
organization  so  as  to  bring  their  entire  forces  into 
requisition. 

"Again  :  as  such  local  societies  or  Churches  come 
up  in  other  places,  attention  becomes  necessary  to 
connectional  arrangements.  All  the  societies  wish- 
ing to  belong  to  the  ecclesiastical  confederation,  and 
come  under  the  same  general  jurisdiction,  must  adopt 


METHODIST  CHURCH  POLITY.  289 

the  same  articles  of  faith  and  rules  of  discipline  ;  for 
'  how  can  two,'  or  more,  '  walk  together,  except  they 
be  agreed?'  By  such  union  the  societies  mutually 
strengthen  and  encourage  each  other.  In  an  early 
stage  of  the  process  of  organization,  it  becomes  indis- 
pensable to  settle  fully  and  securely  the 

w  Terms  of  Membership. — As  the  work  pro- 
gresses and  prospers,  many  persons  may  desire  ad- 
mission ;  and  some,  perhaps,  not  regarded  as  suitable 
to  be  received  ;  and  others,  already  received,  not  prof- 
itable to  be  retained.  Mere  personal  preference  is 
not  a  safe  rule.  Religious  experience  and  moral 
deportment  must  be  regarded  as  the  standards  of 
qualification.  Our  fathers,  who  gave  us  the  outline 
of  the  present  system  of  Methodist  discipline,  made 
a  capital  hit  when  they  adopted  the  rule  requiring  a 
probation  of  at  least  six  months  prior  to  regular 
membership — a  rule  still  enforced  in  all  cases,  ex- 
cepting such  as  bring  letters  of  recommendation 
from  orthodox  sister  Churches  as  worthy  members. 
The  condition  of  admission  on  trial  is,  'A  desire  to 
flee  from  the  wrath  to  come,  and  to  be  saved  from 
sin.'  But  this  desire,  to  become  available,  must  be 
evinced  in  three  ways, —  I.  By  doing  no  harm,  by 
avoiding  evil  of  every  kind,  etc.  ;  2.  By  doing  good, 
etc.  ;  3.  By  attending  upon  all  the  ordinances  of 
God,  etc.  If  the  pastor  knows  the  candidate  to 
come  up  to  this  standard,  he  can  admit  him  on  trial 
at  once.  But  in  the  absence  of  such  personal  knowl- 
edge the  rule  is,  '  Let  none  be  admitted  on  trial  ex- 
cept they  are  recommended  by  one  you  know,  or  till 
they  have  met  twice  or  thrice  in  class,'  so  as  to  form 

25 


290  LIFE  OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

some  opinion  of  their  fitness.  The  wisdom  of  this 
rule  is  apparent  on  the  face  of  it.  To  profess  a 
change  of  heart,  and  to  make  some  show  of  outward 
reformation,  are  easy  ;  but  a  probation  of  six  months, 
subjecting  the  candidate  to  weekly  class  examina- 
tions, both  as  to  his  religious  exercises  and  daily 
deportment,  is  a  much  safer  test  of  sincerity  and 
consistency  than  a  single  profession  at  any  one  time. 

"The  conditions  of  full  membership  after  proba- 
tion are  three, — first,  a  recommendation  by  a  lea'der 
with  whom  the  candidate  has  met  at  least  six  months 
on  trial,  who  has  every  opportunity  to  know  his 
religious  state,  daily  walk,  and  general  bearing ; 
secondly,  he  must  be  consecrated  to  God  in  baptism, 
either  in  infancy  or  adult  age,  this  being  the  initiating 
ordinance  into  the  visible  Church  of  Christ  ;  thirdly, 
he  must,  'on  examination  by  the  minister  in  charge, 
before  the  Church,  give  satisfactory  assurance  both 
of  the  correctness  of  his  faith,  and  his  willingness  to 
observe  and  keep  the  rules  of  the  Church.'  These 
conditions  are  few  and  simple,  but  indispensable; 
and,  taken  altogether,  they  show  conclusively  that 
our  Church  is  at  least  as  well  guarded  against  impo- 
sition in  the  reception  of  members  as  any  other 
Church.  When  any  one  has  fully  complied  with 
them,  the  pastor,  in  the  name  and  on  behalf  of  the 
whole  Church  assembled,  extends  to  him  the  right- 
hand  of  fellowship,  and  pronounces  him  a  member. 

"Acquired  Rights. — By  becoming  a  member 
of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  you  acquire 
rights  which  you  never  had  before,  and  never  could 
have    possessed    without    such    membership.      And, 


METHODIST  CHURCH  POLITY.  29 1 

first,  you  secure  an  interest  in  all  the  Church  property, 
which,  in  houses  of  worship,  parsonages,  cemeteries, 
and  institutions  of  learning,  amounts  to  at  least 
twenty  millions  of  dollars.  There  may  be  a  few 
houses  of  worship  occupied  by  our  preachers  and 
people  which  are  not  regularly  conveyed  to  the 
whole  Church,  but  are  held  in  trust  for  the  use  of 
the  local  societies  connected  therewith  ;  in  these 
your  connection  with  the  Church  at  another  place 
gives  you  no  title.  Such  deeds  of  conveyance  are 
unfortunate.  They  are  not  according  to  our  Dis- 
cipline ;  and  we  may  hereafter  be  turned  out  of  such 
houses,  if  the  local  authorities  holding  them  should 
become  disaffected  toward  our  Church.  Now,  we  do 
not  say  that  brethren  holding  and  occupying  such 
houses  are  not  good  Christians  or  good  Methodists  ; 
but  we  do  say  that  their  title  to  the  property  is  not 
Methodistical.  Secondly,  by  becoming  a  member  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church  you  have  acquired  a  full 
share  in  all  her  privileges.  This  includes  an  interest 
in  her  sympathies,  her  prayers,  and  her  ample  means 
of  religious  instruction  and  encouragement  ;  in  her 
ordinances,  including  the  holy  eucharist  ;  and  in  her 
powerful  ministry  and  pastoral  oversight.  You  have 
secured  a  right  to  attend  and  participate  in  all  her 
religious  meetings  for  public  and  social  worship, 
whether  for  expounding  and  hearing  the  Gospel,  for 
prayer  and  praise,  or  for  mutual  edification  by 
reciting  personal  experience.  You  have  all  the 
privileges  found  in  any  other  evangelical  Church, 
with  class-meeting  and  love-feast  into  the  bargain, — 
two  choice  means  of  religious  improvement  at  once 


292  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

profitable  and  delightful.  Without  intending  any 
offense  to  others,  we  here  say  there  is  no  Church  in 
this  country  blessed  with  a  more  spiritual  living 
membership  than  ours  is,  though  there  is  much  room 
for  improvement  among  us  ;  no  Church  affords  more 
helps  or  better  encouragement  to  a  godly  life  than  ours 
does.  And  as  to  our  doctrinal  views,  we  have  never 
had  occasion  to  waste  much  time  or  strength  in 
adjusting  them  ;  for  our  unity  in  this  respect  has 
been  unparalleled  from  the  beginning  of  our  history 
to  the  present  time.  None  of  our  losses  by  secession 
were  occasioned  by  doctrinal  controversy  ;  but  always 
rose  out  of  conflicting  views  on  questions  of  expe- 
diency— views  intemperately  urged  by  brethren  of  a 
restless  spirit  and  a  reckless  purpose.  Certainly,  our 
doctrinal  unity  is  cause  of  devout  thankfulness  to  the 
whole  Methodist  family.  Thirdly,  these  acquired 
rights  are  secured  to  you  on  such  a  firm  constitu- 
tional basis  that  no  earthly  power  can  deprive  you 
of  them  till  you  willfully  forfeit  them  by  disobedience 
to,  or  some  personal  violation  of,  the  rules  of  the 
Church.  The  idea  of  some,  that  a  Methodist 
preacher  has  power  in  himself  to  dispossess  a  layman 
of  his  membership  in  any  case,  is  entirely  groundless. 
That  he  had  such  authority  once,  in  the  infancy  of 
Methodism,  is  admitted  ;  but  it  was  found  to  be  un- 
safe for  the  members,  and  was  therefore  taken  from 
him  at  an  early  period.  Nothing  that  a  member  can 
do  authorizes  a  pastor  to  exclude  him  till  he  is 
regularly  tried  and  found  guilty  by  his  fellow-laymen. 
And  if  any  preacher  in  charge  were  to  exclude  a 
member  without   a  Disciplinary  trial,  such    preacher 


METHODIST  CHURCH  POLITY.  293 

would  receive  severe  censure  by  the  Conference 
where  he  is  amenable,  and  justly  too. 

"The  Ministry. —  Between  the  members  and 
pastors  there  are  active  agents  for  good, — class-lead- 
ers, exhorters,  and  local  preachers.  The  leaders  are 
appointed  by  the  preacher  in  charge,  to  aid  him  in 
his  pastoral  work  of  visitation  and  prayer  and  in- 
struction. Exhorter's  license  is  granted  by  the  pastor 
on  recommendation  of  the  members,  and  renewed 
annually  on  that  of  the  quarterly  conference.  Local 
preacher's  license  is  granted  by  the  quarterly  confer- 
ence on  the  recommendation  of  their  respective 
societies,  and  renewed  annually  when  their  gifts, 
grace,  and  usefulness  will  warrant  such  renewal. 
Local  preachers  are  eligible  to  deacon's  orders  in 
four  years,  and  to  elder's  orders  in  eight  years. 
There  are  in  our  Church  over  seven  thousand  local 
preachers,  deacons  and  elders.  Among  so  many, 
there  may  be  some  drones  ;  but  in  general  they  are 
worthy  brethren,  co-operating  with  the  regular  pastors 
to  extend  the  kingdom  of  Christ. 

"The  pastors  proper,  in  our  Church,  are  regular 
traveling  preachers.  How  they  become  such,  is  a 
question  worthy  of  special  consideration.  There  are 
two  general  systems  of  preparing  men  for  the  Gospel 
ministry.  One  is,  to  select  boys  who  may  or  may 
not  be  converted,  and  who  subsequently  may  or  may 
not  be  called  of  God  to  preach,  and  educate  them  for 
the  ministry.  But  our  system  is,  to  select  young  men 
who  are  both  converted  and  called,  in  the  judgment 
of  their  brethren,  and  train  them  in  the  ministry, 
uniting   the   study  and    practice  of   theology  all  the 


294  LIFE   0F  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

way  through.  This  we  have  proved  to  be  a  success- 
ful system  of  training  ministers.  The  details  of  our 
system  are  briefly  these  :  A  young  man  feels  himself 
moved  by  the  Holy  Spirit  to  the  work  of  the  ministry. 
His  brethren,  where  he  resides,  being  acquainted 
with  him  and  his  gifts  and  graces,  .  .  .  recom- 
mend him  to  the  quarterly  conference  for  license. 
Here  he  is  examined  as  to  his  belief  of  our  doctrines 
and  Discipline  ;  also  his  experience  and  call  to  the 
work.  This  examination  is  conducted  by  the  presid- 
ing elder  in  presence  of  the  conference;  and,  if  ap- 
proved, he  is  granted  license  to  preach.  Next,  after 
a  proper  trial  of  him  as  a  preacher,  he  is  recom- 
mended by  the  quarterly  to  the  annual  conference 
for  admission  on  trial  as  a  traveling  preacher.  If 
received,  he  is  assigned  to  a  field  of  labor,  usually  as 
the  colleague  of  a  more  experienced  minister.  Then 
there  is  given  him  a  course  of  study,  embracing 
science  and  theology,  and  extending  through  four 
years. 

Presiding  Elders. — The  office  of  presiding  elder 
is  simply  one  of  appointment  by  the  bishop  for  exec- 
utive purposes.  A  presiding  elder's  district  includes 
about  twelve  pastoral  charges,  more  or  less,  each  of 
which  he  visits  four  times  a  year,  to  preach,  adminis- 
ter the  ordinances,  and  hold  quarterly  conference. 
He  takes  charge  of  all  the  elders  and  deacons,  the 
traveling  and  local  preachers  and  exhorters,  in  the 
district,  and  is  required  to  see  that  every  part  of  the 
Discipline  is  carried  out  ;  that  the  interests  of  the 
missionary,  Sabbath-school,  and  tract  causes  are  prop- 
erly cared  for.     He   presides   in   the  appeal   trial   of 


ME THODIS T  CHUR CH  POLITY.  295 

excluded  members,  and  decides  all  questions  of  law 
in  the  quarterly  conference.  He  also  directs  young 
men  to  their  course  of  studies,  and  examines  the  can- 
didates for  orders;  he  receives,  employs,  and  changes 
preachers  in  the  interval  of  conference  and  absence 
of  the  bishop  ;  and  such  as  are  disorderly  he  brings 
to  account  by  committee,  or  reports  them  to  confer- 
ence. He  also  is  consulted  by  the  bishop  as  to  the 
arrangement  of  the  work  and  appointment  of  the 
preachers  to  it,  etc.  It  will  be  seen  readily  how  im- 
portant this  office  is  to  the  great  itinerant  system. 
If  this  part  of  the  machinery  be  removed,  the  whole 
is  in  confusion.  An  error  in  selecting  the  officer  is 
no  argument  against  the  office.  The  people  might 
prefer  a  popular  preacher  on  the  district,  but  sound 
judgment  and  executive  skill  and  administrative  abil- 
ity are  much  more  important  in  a  presiding  elder  than 
popular  talent  in  the  pulpit;  at  least,  this  is  the 
opinion  of  such  as  have  most  experience. 

"The  office  first  appears  on  the  Minutes  of  1785, 
where  an  elder's  name  stands  at  the  head  of  each 
district,  but  without  the  prefix  'presiding,'  till  1789, 
since  which  period  the  Minutes  in  this  respect  have 
been  uniform.  A  usage  of  so  long  standing  is  entitled 
to  respectful  consideration.  It  has,  however,  higher 
claims  than  age  confers  on  the  score  of  utility.  The 
experiment  has  proved  itself  successful.  No  pruden- 
tial regulation  in  our  Church  has  done  so  much  to 
render  our  itinerant  ministry  effective,  except  the 
general  superintendency,  as  the  office  of  presiding 
elder. 

"  The  Appointing  Power. — This  pertains  to  the 


2g6  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

general  superintendency.  We  have  now — 1859 — s'x 
bishops,  neither  of  whom  claims  any  local  diocese. 
They  are  jointly  responsible  for  the  oversight  of  the 
whole  connection  ;  they  divide  it  into  six  parts,  each 
taking  his  route  for  one  year,  and  then  changing,  so 
that  each  in  his  turn  presides  in  all  the  conferences. 
One  of  our  official  duties  is  'to  fix  the  appointments 
of  the  preachers '  under  certain  rules  of  limitation 
well  understood  among  us.  In  our  peculiar  organiza- 
tion, many  individual  rights  are  relinquished  for  the 
general  good.  Ministers  relinquish  any  real  or  sup- 
posed right  of  preference  for  places,  with  an  under- 
standing that  the  members  are  not  to  choose  their 
pastors,  but  to  receive  whomsoever  are  sent.  This  is 
as  fair  for  one  party  as  the  other.  Of  course,  the 
execution  of  such  a  system  requires  the  agency  of  a 
third  party,  the  bishops.  Now,  the  Church  has  con- 
fidence in  the  appointing  power,  or  she  has  not.  If 
she  possesses  confidence  in  us,  why  complain  of  our 
action  in  the  premises?  If  confidence  be  wanting, 
why  not  remove  the  appointing  power  into  other 
hands?  By  a  certain  constitutional  process,  the  power 
to  appoint  the  preachers  might  be  transferred  from 
the  bishops  to  a  committee  of  preachers  and  laymen; 
or,  what  would  virtually  amount  to  the  same  thing, 
abolished  entirely,  leaving  ministers  and  members 
free  to  make  their  own  arrangements.  But  what, 
then,  would  be  the  fate  of  the  itinerancy  ? 

"The  General  Conference. — Thus  far  we  have 
discoursed  chiefly  on  the  executive  affairs  of  our 
Church,  but  now  turn  our  attention,  for  a  few  minutes 
only,  to  her  rule-making  department.      The,  General 


METHODIST  CHURCH  POLITY.  297 

Conference  is  corn  posed  of  delegates  from  all  the 
annual  conferences,  who  collectively  represent  and  act 
for  the  entire  connection  of  ministers  and  members. 
They  meet  quadrennially,  and  remain  in  session  about 
one  month.  .  .  .  Besides  revising  the  Discipline, 
they  elect  bishops,  book  agents,  editors,  correspond- 
ing secretaries  for  the  Missionary,  Sabbath-school, 
and  Tract  Societies,  and  regulate  the  publishing 
interests  of  the  whole  Church  ;  they  fix  the  boundaries 
of  all  the  annual  conferences,  try  appeals  of  expelled 
or  censured  traveling  preachers,  adjust  the  general 
finances  of  the  Church,  and  examine  carefully  the  ad- 
ministration of  the  annual  conferences,  as  recorded  in 
their  respective  journals.  They  also  are  the  tribunal 
to  which  the  bishops  are  amenable,  and  hold  them  to 
strict  account,  both  for  their  personal  conduct  and 
official  administration, — all  of  which  is  right  and 
proper.  As  to  their  legislative  authority,  the  Disci- 
pline declares  :  '  The  General  Conference  shall  have 
full  power  to  make  rules  and  regulations  for  our 
Church,  under  the  following  limitations  and  restric- 
tions.' We  name  some  of  the  things  which  it  can 
not  do:  'The  General  Conference  shall  not  revoke, 
alter,  or  change  our  Articles  of  Religion,  nor  estab- 
lish any  new  standards  or  rules  of  doctrine  contrary 
to  our  present  existing  and  established  standards  of 
doctrine.'  Again:  'They  shall  not  revoke  or  change 
the  General  Rules  of  the  United  Societies.'  Again  : 
'They  shall  not  do  away  the  privileges  of  our  min- 
isters or  preachers  of  trial  by  a  committee,  and  of 
appeal.'  Yet  any  of  these  restrictions,  except  the 
one  covering  our  Articles  of  Religion,  may  be  removed 


298  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

by  the  concurrent  action  of  three-fourths  of  all  the 
voters  of  all  the  annual  conferences  and  two-thirds  of 
the  General  Conference.  In  all  things  not  thus  re- 
stricted, the  delegates  are  free  to  act  for  the  whole 
Church." 

The  discourse  then  goes  on  to  answer  a  few 
popular  objections  to  Methodist  polity;  the  first  being 
that  "  the  membership  have  no  check  upon  the 
ministry."  To  this  the  bishop  replies,  first,  our  de- 
pendence upon  them  for  men  to  keep  up  the  minis- 
terial force  to  carry  on  the  work  is  a  check.  All  the 
conferences,  both  annual  and  General  united,  could 
not  make  one  traveling  preacher  without  the  pre- 
action  of  lay  members  recommending  him  for  that 
purpose.  And,  secondly,  the  members  hold  a  check 
over  their  ministers  in  the  form  of  material  aid.  We 
are  as  dependent  on  them  for  the  means  as  we  are 
for  the  men  to  carry  on  the  work. 

To  another  objection,  that  "the  members  are  not 
allowed  any  representation  in  the  conferences,"  it  is 
replied  that  "  we  may  concede,  first,  that  the  present 
representation  of  members  is  indirect,  more  so  than 
would  be  satisfactory  in  civil  affairs;"  and  "we  con- 
cede, secondly,  that  if  the  members  of  our  Church 
really  desire  a  direct  representation  in  the  confer- 
ences, with  all  its  expense,  trouble,  and  responsibility, 
they  should  have  it.  If  the  members  gen- 

erally ever  do  request  it,  the  General  Conference  will 
respond  with  fraternal  kindness,  as  they  always  have 
done."  "As  to  what  would  be  a  safe  and  suitable 
plan  of  lay  representation,  I  acknowledge  myself 
unprepared    to    suggest,   and   would    rather   wait   for 


CLOSE  OF  QUADRENXrUM.  299 

time   to   develop    our   wants,  and    the   indications  of 
Providence  for  the  best  method  of  supplying  them." 

In  i860,  Bishop  Morris  presided  over  the  East 
Baltimore  Conference,  at  Lewisburg,  Pennsylvania, 
February  29th  ;  the  New  Jersey  Conference,  at  Salem, 
March  14th  ;  and  the  Providence  Conference,  at  New 
Bedford,  Massachusetts.  March  28th,  which  closed  the 
official  labors  of  another  quadrennial  period. 


300  LIFE    OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

GENERAL    CONFERENCE     OF     i860 — AN     INTERESTING    OCCA- 
SION  REMOVAL    TO    SPRINGFIELD. 

THE  Thirteenth  Delegated  General  Conference 
assembled  at  St.  James's  Hall,  in  the  city  of 
Buffalo,  New  York,  on  the  1st  of  May,  i860.  Pres- 
ent—  Bishops  Morris,  Janes,  Scott,  Baker,  Ames, 
and  Simpson. 

Bishop  Morris  called  the  Conference  to  order,  and 
conducted  the  opening  religious  services.  This  Con- 
ference was  composed  of  two  hundred  and  twenty- 
one  delegates,  representing  forty-seven  annual  confer- 
ences. The  session  continued  until  June  4th,  and 
was  occupied  largely  with  the  discussion  of  proposed 
new  rules  on  the  slavery  question,  the  Committee  on 
that  subject  having  recommended  the  amendment  of 
the  General  Rule,  so  that  it  should  read  :  "  The 
buying,  selling,  or  holding  of  men,  women,  or  chil- 
dren, with  an  intention  to  enslave  them."  To  carry 
this  resolution  required  a  two-thirds  vote,  which  it 
failed  to  receive.  There  were  one  hundred  and 
thirty-eight  votes  for  it,  and  seventy-four  against  it. 

The  subject  of  Lay  Representation  also  called 
forth  an  animated  discussion,  and  was  finally  disposed 
of  by  providing  for  the  submission  of  the  question  to 


COMMEMORATION  SERVICES.  301 

a  vote  of  the  "male  members  over  twenty-one  years 
of  age,  and  in  full  connection,"  between  the  sessions 
of  the  respective  annual  conferences  in  1861  and 
1862  ;  and  further  providing  that  the  bishops  should 
lay  the  same  question  "before  the  annual  confer- 
ences, at  their  sessions  in  1862." 

On  the  nth  of  May,  solemn  and  impressive 
services  were  held  in  commemoration  of  Bishop 
Waugh,  the  senior  member  of  the  Episcopal  Board, 
who  had  died  February  9,  1858,  and  to  which  appro- 
priate and  affectionate  allusion  was  made  in  the 
Episcopal  Address  at  the  opening  of  the  Conference. 
Bishop  Morris,  at  the  request  of  his  colleagues,  con- 
ducted the  services,  selecting  for  his  text  the  twenty- 
eighth  verse  of  the  eleventh  chapter  of  Second 
Corinthians:  "Beside  those  things  that  are  without, 
that  which  cometh  upon  me  daily,  the  care  of  all 
the  Churches." 

The  Christian  ministry,  he  remarked,  is  a  subject 
of  paramount  importance.  It  is  enough  to  fill  the 
head,  hands,  and  heart  of  any  man  for  life.  Two 
things  should  be  kept  in  view  in  executing  this  high 
trust, — first,  we  should  aim  to  come  up  to  the  Gospel 
standard  as  nearly  as  possible ;  and,  secondly,  we 
should  never  presume  to  go  beyond  it.  In  the  New 
Testament  we  have  ample  instruction  in  regard  to 
the  practical  duties  of  the  office,  and  also  illustrious 
examples  of  their  observance.  Paul  says,  "  Be  ye 
followers  of  me,  even  as  I  also  am  of  Christ."  Now, 
while  we  are  to  imitate  Paul  in  regard  to  his  self- 
sacrifice,  his  ardent  zeal,  and  his  persevering  efforts 
to  save  souls,  it  does  not  follow  that  we  may  be  his 


302  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

successors  in  all  respects.  The  general  theme  of  the 
discourse  would  be,  Paul  and  his  Successors  ;  and  on 
this  subject  the  bishop  proposed  to  discuss  three  prop- 
ositions,—  i.  There  are  some  things  pertaining  to  the 
ministry  of  Paul,  with  regard  to  which  we  can  not 
be  his  successors  ;  2.  There  are  some  things,  in 
which  we  do  not  desire  to  be  his  successors  ;  3. 
There  are  some  things,  in  which  we  may  and  ought 
to  be  his  successors. 

I.  On  the  first  point,  it  was  remarked  that  Paul 
possessed  the  gift  of  tongues  ;  that  is,  in  the  sense 
of  speaking  many  languages.  Paul,  no  doubt,  had 
the  knowledge  of  some  languages  acquired  in  the 
usual  way, — by  persevering  application  to  study.  But 
he  also  possessed  the  knowledge  of  many  languages 
by  direct  inspiration.  He  said,  "  I  speak  with  tongues 
more  than  you  all,"  etc.  Secondly,  Paul  was  endowed 
with  the  spirit  of  prophecy.  He  spoke  as  he  was 
moved  by  the  Holy  Ghost.  He  very  distinctly,  in 
his  letter  to  the  Thessalonians,  prophesied  the  apos- 
tasy of  the  Romans,  under  the  personification  of  "  the 
Man  of  Sin."  He  also  prophesied  the  downfall  of 
that  corrupt  power :  "  Then  shall  that  Wicked  be  re- 
vealed, whom  the  Lord  shall  consume,"  etc.  He  also 
said,  "The  Spirit  speaketh  expressly  that,  in  the 
latter  days,  some  shall  depart  from  the  faith,"  etc. 
These  passages  are  sufficient  to  show  that  St.  Paul 
was  an  inspired  prophet.  Thirdly,  he  was  endued 
with  the  gift  of  miracles.  He  rebuked  Elymas,  the 
sorcerer;  and  there  fell  upon  him  a  mist  of  darkness, 
and  he  went  about  seeking  some  one  to  lead  him  by 
the  hand.     When  the  damsel,  possessed  of  the  spirit 


COMMEMORATION  SERMON.  303 

of  divination,  became  an  annoyance  to  the  apostles, 
Paul  turned  and  said  to  the  spirit,  "  I  command  thee, 
in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ,  come  out  of  her  ;"  and 
the  spirit  did  so  the  same  hour.  When  Paul  was 
shipwrecked,  and  the  viper  came  out  of  the  fire  and 
fastened  on  his  hand,  and  when  the  barbarians 
looked  for  him  to  have  fallen  down  dead,  he  shook 
off  the  viper,  and  it  did  him  no  harm  ;  and  they 
changed. their  minds,  and  thought  he  was  a  god.  In 
the  same  island  was  Publius,  whose  father  was  sick 
of  a  fever  ;  and  Paul  went  in  to  him,  laid  his  hands 
upon  him,  and  prayed  for  him,  and  he  was  instantly 
healed.  In  one  instance — that  of  Eutychus — he 
raised  the  dead. 

Again:  he  was  an  apostle,  and  in  that  office  has 
no  successors.  The  apostles  were  a  peculiar  class 
of  ministers,  instituted  for  a  special  purpose,  to  be 
perpetuated  for  a  short  time.  Their  mission  was  to 
establish  Christianity  by  appealing  to  the  facts  of  the 
Gospel  history  from  personal  knowledge  ;  and,  when 
necessary,  confirming  their  statements  by  working 
miracles.  This  was  sufficiently  done  in  one  ordinary 
life-time.  Then  they  disappeared  from  the  stage  of 
life,  mostly  by  deaths  of  violence,  and  have  no 
successors. 

II.  There  are  some  things  pertaining  to  the 
ministry  of  Paul,  with  regard  to  which  we  do  not 
want  to  be  his  successors. 

The  bishop  spoke  here  of  the  privations,  opposi- 
tion, suffering,  personal  violence,  and  abuse  which 
St.  Paul  endured.  But,  besides  these  things,  he  had 
the  care  of  all    the   Churches.     The  work  was  great, 


304  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

the  opposition  powerful,  and  there  was  a  continual 
influx  of  difficult  questions  upon  the  apostle,  respect- 
ing doctrines  and  practical  duties — questions  of  ex- 
perience, of  discipline,  and  of  dispute — all  pouring 
upon  him  at  once  ;  insomuch  that  Dr.  Clarke  calls 
them  an  "  insurrection  of  cases,"  and  gives  it  as  his 
opinion  that  the  difficulties  from  within  were  a  greater 
burden  than  all  the  pressure  from  without. 

III.  Concerning  the  things  in  the  ministry  of  Paul, 
with  regard  to  which  we  may  and  ought  to  be  his 
successors,  Bishop  Morris  said  that,  while  the  apostle 
was  endowed  with  extraordinary  gifts,  he  practiced 
all  the  ordinary  duties  pertaining  to  Christian  life, 
and  exercised  all  the  ordinary  functions  of  the  min- 
istry, and  in  these  things  we  should  be  his  successors. 
First,  he  was  a  converted  man.  So,  we  trust,  we  are 
converted,  and  have  felt  the  power  of  Christ's  resur- 
rection and  the  fellowship  of  his  sufferings.  Again: 
he  believed  in  a  progressive  spiritual  life.  He  did 
not  teach  that  when  men  and  women  are  born  again 
they  are  born  full-grown,  but  that  they  are  "babes 
in  Christ."  He  exhorted  Christians  to  ''grow  in 
grace,"  and  to  "learn  the  principles  of  the  doctrine 
of  Christ,  and  go  on  unto  perfection."  And  what  he 
taught  he  practiced  :  "This  one  thing  I  do,  forgetting 
those  things  which  are  behind,  and  reaching  forth 
unto  those  things  which  are  before,  I  press  toward 
the  mark  for  the  prize  of  the  high  calling  of  God  in 
Christ  Jesus."  We  believe  in  these  doctrines  :  Par- 
don, regeneration,  the  witness  of  the  Spirit,  and  holi- 
ness. In  these  regards  we  claim  to  be  the  succes- 
sors of  the  apostles. 


DUTIES  OF  A  BISHOP.  305 

In  the  next  place,  Paul  was  called  of  God  to 
preach.  He  is  very  specific  on  this  point.  Neces- 
sity was  laid  upon  him  to  preach  the  Gospel.  We 
have  the  same  feelings.  We  do  not  regard  the  min- 
istry as  a  mere  profession.  All  our  ministers  have 
professed  to  be  moved  by  the  Holy  Ghost.  Paul  was 
a  traveling  preacher.  Round  about  from  Jerusalem 
to  Illyricum,  he  fully  preached  the  Gospel  of  Christ. 
When  we  read  his  journal  in  the  New  Testament,  we 
are  led  to  inquire,  Is  there  any  thing  analogous  to 
this  in  modern  Church  annals  ?  Something  very 
similar  we  find  in  the  career  of  Wesley  in  England, 
and  Asbury  in  America;  and  we  rejoice  to  know 
that  many  of  their  sons  strive  to  follow  them.  Paul 
was  also  a  pastor;  he  had  the  care  of  all  the  Churches, 
and  was,  officially  and  practically,  a  pastor  as  well 
as  a  preacher  and  an  apostle.  Bishop  Morris  then 
sketched  the  duties  of  a  bishop  in  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church,  embracing  the  supervision  of  the 
temporal  and  spiritual  interests  of  the  Church,  the 
immense  amount  of  travel  necessary  in  the  discharge 
of  these  duties,  ranging  from  five  thousand  to  twenty 
thousand  miles  per  annum,  the  heavy  official  corre- 
spondence required,  and  the  responsibility  of  appoint- 
ing the  ministers  to  their  several  fields  of  labor.  He 
said  that,  to  do  the  work  of  a  Methodist  bishop,  "as 
we  are  expected  to  do  it,  requires  the  faith  of  Abra- 
ham, the  patience  of  Job,  the  courage  of  Paul,  the 
meekness  of  Moses,  the  wisdom  of  Solomon,  the  elo- 
quence of  Apollos,  and  the  paternal  love  of  John." 
He  then  added  a  remark  which  produced  a  general 
smile,  notwithstanding  the  solemnity  of  the  occasion  ; 

26 


306  life  of  bishop  morris. 

and  we  reproduce  it  as  illustrative  of  the  quiet  humor 
for  which  the  bishop  was  always  noted:  "Notwith- 
standing all  the  responsibilities  and  privations  and 
sacrifices  and  labors  it  will  bring  upon  them,  there 
are  competent  brethren  who  are  willing  to  accept  the 
office  rather  than  that  the  good  cause  should  suffer." 

The  sermon  closed  with  a  full  and  interesting 
biographical  sketch  of  Bishop  Waugh,  and  reflections 
and  lessons  suggested  by  the  sad  bereavement  of  the 
Church.  It  occupied  an  hour  and  a  quarter  in  the 
delivery,  and  was  listened  to  with  profound  interest 
by  an  audience  of  more  than  two  thousand  persons. 
Our  brief  abstract  of  the  discourse  is  taken  from  the 
notes  of  the  General  Conference  reporter,  published 
originally  in  the  Daily  CJiristian  Advocate. 

On  the  sixteenth  day  of  the  session,  Rev.  J.  K. 
Gillett  rose  to  a  question  of  privilege,  and  stated  that 
there  was  in  the  house  a  member  of  the  Michigan 
Conference  who  had  something  to  present  to  the 
body  which  would  interest  every  member.  He  moved, 
therefore,  that  Rev.  Mr.  Morgan  be  introduced.  On 
being  introduced  to  the  Conference,  Mr.  Morgan  ex- 
hibited a  plain  silver  watch,  once  the  property  of 
Bishop  Asbury,  and  which  he  desired  to  present  to 
Bishop  Morris,  with  the  understanding  that  at  his 
death  it  should  be  given  to  the  senior  of  the  remain- 
ing bishops,  and  thus  always  be  in  the  hands  of  the 
oldest  incumbent  of  the  episcopal  office.  On  receiv- 
ing it,  Bishop  Morris  said:  "This  is  the  first  watch 
that  was  ever  presented  to  me.  But  I  would  rather 
own  it  than  the  finest  gold  repeater  ever  made.  I 
perceive  that  its   voice   [holding   it   to   his  ear],   like 


"SALUBRIA."  307 

my  own,  is  feeble  ;  and  I  am  told  that  its  mainspring 
is  weak.  Probably,  like  myself,  it  is  nearly  worn  out. 
I  accept  it  with  earnest  thanks,  and  will  soon  trans- 
mit it  to  my  successor,  and  go,  I  trust,  to  meet  its 
former  venerated  owner  in  the  house  not  made  with 
hands." 

On  the  28th  of  May,  the  following  resolution  was 
adopted : 

"Resolved,  That  in  view  of  the  advancing  age  of 
Bishop  Morris,  the  senior  superintendent,  he  be  not 
required  to  travel  at  large  through  the  connection, 
but  be  left  at  full  liberty  to  perform  only  such  official 
labor  as  he  and  his  colleagues  may  judge  proper." 

On  the  adjournment  of  General  Conference,  Bishop 
Morris  returned  to  Cincinnati  to  make  arrangements 
to  remove  to  Springfield,  Ohio,  which  he  had  fixed 
upon  as  his  future  home,  and  where,  early  in  the 
Spring,  he  had  made  a  purchase  of  property  suitable 
for  a  residence.  His  new  home  was  occupied  June 
20th,  and  a  highly  characteristic  description  of  the 
"place,"  which  he  named  "Salubria,"  appeared  soon 
after  in  one  of  the  Church  papers,  as  follows  : 

"The  house,  though  not  elegant,  is  substantial, 
roomy,  and  comfortable.  The  inclosed  ground  is  an 
oblong  square,  at  the  angle  of  Mill  and  Harrison 
Streets,  measuring  two  hundred  feet  on  the  former, 
and  four  hundred  and  fifty  on  the  latter.  It  embraces 
the  buildings,  yard,  garden,  'truck-patch,'  and  cow- 
pasture,  and  contains  a  fraction  over  two  acres,  ex- 
clusive of  an  outside  strip  left  for  a  pass-way.  There 
are  a  few  apple,  peach,  cherry,  and  plum  trees  on  the 
ground,  with  a  limited   number  of  ornamental  shade- 


308  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

trees,  and  a  good  supply  of  natural  forest-trees,  of 
which  the  most  noted  is  a  sturdy  oak  in  the  north- 
west corner  of  the  yard,  about  nine  feet  in  circumfer- 
ence at  the  base,  and  nearly  one  hundred  feet  high, 
which,  with  other  trees,  affords  a  pleasant  afternoon 
shade. 

"The  live-stock  on  the  premises  is  as  follows:  I. 
Job,  our  favorite  family  horse,  looks  pleased  with  his 
new  apartments  and  supply  of  provender,  and  moves 
gracefully  in  harness.  His  .character  is  decidedly 
good.  Ladies  drive  him,  and  feel  secure.  He  is  as 
indifferent  to  the  whistle  of  a  locomotive  or  the  report 
of  cannon  as  to  the  hum  of  a  bee  ;  gentle  as  a  lamb, 
and  patient  as  the  man  of  Uz.  2.  'Belle/  our  pres- 
ent dependence  for  milk  and  cream.  3.  Two  white 
pigs,  which  willingly  relieve  us  of  the  kitchen-scraps. 
4.  One  dozen  pullets,  white,  yellow,  brown,  and 
speckled.  The  leader  of  this  feathered  tribe  is  Peter, 
a  very  pompous  bird,  dressed  in  fancy  colors,  moving 
around  with  an  appearance  of  self-gratulation.  In 
one  respect,  he  is  useful  ;  by  his  stentorian  voice  he 
lets  us  know  how  the  night-watches  pass,  and  when 
the  day  dawns.  5.  Clarinda,  with  her  family  of  black, 
brindle,  and  spotted  kittens.  6.  Snap,  our  terrier-pup, 
full  of  life  and  mischief,  yet  a  favorite  of  the  family. 
In  addition  to  this  show  of  life  and  comfort,  the  peo- 
ple are  kind  and  agreeable,  treating  us  more  like  old 
friends  than  new-comers.  So  far,  we  enjoy  the  change 
from  city  to  country  as  well  as  we  expected  ;  and  if 
we  can  pass  the  Winter  pleasantly,  will  be  fully  sat- 
isfied here.  My  calling  has  occasioned  frequent  re- 
movals.    I  have  been  a  citizen   of    four  States;   but 


AN  INTERESTING  GIFT  309 

have  probably  found  my  last  camping-place  this  side 
of  Jordan." 

The  bishop'  s  Fall  tour  of  conferences  embraced 
the  East  Genesee,  at  Lima,  August  22d  ;  the  North 
Ohio,  at  Ashland,  September  12th  ;  and  the  Detroit, 
at  Dexter,  Michigan,  September  26th.  At  the  East 
Genesee  Conference,  Rev.  D.  D.  Buck,  on  behalf  of 
Mrs.  Chapin,  of  Geneva,  New  York,  presented  Bishop 
Morris  with  a  pair  of  spectacles  formerly  owned  and 
worn  by  Bishop  Asbury, — the  donor  being  the  same 
lady  who,  at  the  General  Conference,  presented  Bishop 
Asbury's  watch  to  Bishop  Morris.  On  receiving  the 
spectacles  Bishop  Morris  said  : 

"  I  am  very  much  obliged  to  the  good  lady  for 
her  interesting  gift.  I  will  carefully  preserve  it,  and, 
if  I  live  to  return  home,  I  will  deposit  the  spectacles 
in  the  drawer  with  the  watch  which  was  given  me 
by  the  same  lady  at  the  General  Conference  in 
Buffalo.  I  never  saw  Bishop  Asbury  ;  but,  as  nearly 
as  I  can  recollect,  I  reached  my  first  circuit  in  Ohio 
on  the  day  on  which  he  died.  I  am  glad  to  receive 
the  glasses  through  which  he  read  the  Word  of  Life. 
I  have  long  esteemed  Bishop  Asbury  as  the  great 
apostle  of  American  Methodism.  By  these  glasses  I 
am  forcibly  reminded  of  my  own  infirmities.  When 
I  was  about  eighteen  years  of  age  I  received  injuries 
in  the  optic  nerves.  For  three  years  I  had  to  wear 
goggles  out  of  doors,  and  spectacles  within.  It  was 
to  many  a  matter  of  great  doubt  whether  I  should 
have  eyes  or  not.  At  last  I  quit  doctoring,  and  my 
sight  mended  more  in  the  next  three  months  than  it 
had  in  the  previous  three  years.     My  eyes  continue 


310  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

better  till  to-day ;  nevertheless,  I  still  have  to  use 
two  pairs  of  glasses.  I  change  during  divine  service, 
as  I  can  not  read  with  the  same  with  which  I  look 
out  upon  the  congregation.  So  I  work  along.  Bishop 
Asbury  has  got  beyond  the  need  of  glasses.  I  pre- 
sume his  eyes  are  like  'apples  of  gold  in  pictures  of 
silver.'  I  hope  to  reach  that  happy  place.  Brethren, 
pray  for  me,  that  I  may  hold  faith  and  a  good  con- 
science to  the  end." 

Bishop  Morris  met  his  colleagues  and  the  General 
Mission  at  New  York  in  November,  but  was  hastened 
home  by  news  of  his  wife's  illness.  Soon  after  his 
return,  he  addressed  a  communication  to  the  editor 
of  the  Western  Christian  Advocate — Dr.  Kingsley — 
from  which  we  make  an  interesting  extract : 

"  Perhaps,  Doctor,  some  of  my  friends  would  like 
to  know  how  I  am  passing  my  sixty-seventh  Winter. 
If  so,  I  am  happy  to  say,  Rather  pleasantly,  all 
things  considered.  In  the  early  years  of  my  min- 
istry I  knew  no  vacation.  Winter  and  Summer, 
Spring  and  Autumn,  were  alike  busy  seasons.  Then 
I  preached  once  a  day,  on  an  average,  the  year 
round  ;  but  now  my  average  is  about  once  a  week. 
As  our  work  is  now  arranged,  we  have  no  confer- 
ences in  Winter,  and  but  few  in  Summer.  Our 
press  of  official  duties  is  in  the  Spring  and  Fall.  So 
I  am  keeping  close  Winter  quarters  here  ;  but  with 
a  good  grate,  and  plenty  of  bituminous  coal,  I  am 
able  to  maintain  a  temperature  of  sixty-five  degrees, 
thanks  to  kind  Providence.  Moreover,  in  my  quies- 
cence I  enjoy  some  communion  with  my  brethren, 
and   learn  a  little  of  the  affairs  of  our  Church,  our 


PLAN  OF  READING.  3  1 1 

country,  and  the  world, — in  all  of  which  I  take  a 
deep  interest.  As  to  my  means  of  information,  ex- 
clusive of  my  library,  I  receive  four  monthlies,  ten 
weeklies,  one  tri-weekly,  one  daily,  and  numerous 
pamphlets.  These  afford  daily  employment.  My 
evenings,  however,  are  tedious  ;  for,  with  eyes  habit- 
ually weak,  and  now  becoming  quite  dim,  I  do  not 
attempt  to  read  at  night.  To  worry  through  by  day- 
light, I  read  many  of  the  newspaper  articles  as  Con- 
gressmen read  their  bills  the  first  and  second  times, 
'  by  their  titles.'  To  be  more  exact,  there  are  some 
things  in  the  papers  which  I  generally  read,  and 
some  which  I  generally  do  not  read.  Among  those 
which  I  usually  read  are  leading  editorials,  contribu- 
tions on  proper  subjects  over  responsible  names, 
well-timed  articles  on  the  state  of  the  Church,  the 
country,  and  the  world,  and  items  of  general  news. 
Among  the  things  which  I  generally  do  not  read  are 
poetry,  anonymous  articles,  long  lectures,  political 
speeches,  speculative  theology,  and  all  matters  in- 
volving personal  quarrel  or  violent  political  conflict. 
When  in  middle  life,  I  dreaded  two  things  which  I 
saw  might  overtake  me, —  i.  The  necessity  of  cur- 
tailing my  ministerial  labor,  and  becoming  partly 
inactive  and  inefficient  ;  but  by  a  gradual  process  I 
have  gotten  over  this  difficulty,  and  am  content  to 
do  what  little  I  can.  2.  I  dreaded  old  age.  I  ex- 
pected to  see  the  world  appear  murky,  and  the 
Church  appear  as  a  moral  desolation,  and  that  life 
would  become  a  burden.  But  I  experience  nothing 
of  all  this.  My  health  remains  comfortable,  my  mind 
cheerful    and    spirit    buoyant,    and    I    am    pleasantly 


312  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

passing  the  evening  of  life.  In  reviewing  the  past  I 
see  some  things  to  regret,  and  some  from  which  to 
draw  consolation.  Upon  the  whole,  I  have  no  wish 
to  repeat  life's  campaign,  lest,  instead  of  making  it 
better — of  which  there  is  much  need — I  should  make 
it  worse.  Wishing  to  be  thankful  for  the  past,  and 
hopeful  for  the  future,  I  leave  myself  and  my  family, 
my  Church  and  my  country,  in  the  hands  of  God, 
praying  him,  through  Jesus  Christ,  to  hasten  the 
world's  conversion." 

In  1861,  Bishop  Morris  commenced  his  official 
labors  by  presiding  over  the  Missouri  and  Arkansas 
Conference,  at  St.  Louis,  March  7th  ;  thence  to  the 
Kansas  Conference,  at  Atchison,  March  21st;  thence 
to  the  Nebraska  Conference,  at  Nebraska  City, 
April  4th.     Of  the  first  he  says  : 

"The  Missouri  Conference  closed  a  pleasant  ses- 
sion on  the  13th  of  March.  The  religious  exercises 
were  refreshing.  This  body  embraces  some  able  and 
earnest  men,  not  easily  diverted  from  their  good  pur- 
poses. Under  the  financial  pressure  of  the  past  year, 
the  work  indicated  more  signs  of  contraction  than 
expansion,  but  without  much  loss  in  the  membership. 
The  ministers  there  had  not  only  the  difficulties 
common  to  new  countries,  such  as  hard  work,  rough 
fare,  and  poor  pay,  but  also  such  as  pertain  to  their 
peculiar  position  in  a  slave  State  ;  of  which  I  need 
here  say  nothing,  as  the  particulars  have  been  suf- 
ficiently detailed  in  the  Central  Christian  Advocate. 
If  the  Government  rights  up,  and  its  political 
affairs  become  settled,  they  expect  to  live  and 
prosper    in    Missouri  ;     but    if    not,    they    intend    to 


CONFERENCE  AT  A TCHISON.  3  1 3 

do    as    well    as     they    can.       No     more    should     be 
required." 

He  left  St.  Louis,  March  15th,  on  the  steamboat 
Warsaw,  and  reached  Hannibal  the  next  day.  Here 
he  found  the  St.  Joseph  train  waiting;  and  by  it 
arrived  at  Macon  City  the  same  evening,  Saturday, 
where  he  spent  the  Sabbath.  On  Monday  morning 
he  resumed  the  journey,  reaching  St.  Joseph  late 
that  night.  Next  morning,  taking  the  Platte  County 
Railroad,  he  arrived  in  good  time  at  Atchison,  the 
seat  of  the  Kansas  Conference.     He  says  : 

"Atchison  is  a  young  city,  rising  up  in  a  location 
resembling  an  ample  theater.  Here  is  the  depot  of 
the  Kansas  Relief  Society.  The  streets  were  daily 
crowded  with  wagons  and  teams  from  the  interior,  so 
that  it  was  difficult  to  pass.  The  facts  heretofore 
published  respecting  the  destitution  of  Kansas  were 
confirmed  by  the  preachers  from  every  part  of  the 
State  as  substantially  true.  These  ministers  are 
sunburned,  hardy  men,  who  have  endured  much  hard 
service,  and  look  as  if  they  were  ready  for  more. 
They  did  up  the  business  of  the  Conference  with 
order  and  dispatch.  The  work  is  arranged  into  six 
districts,  one  of  which  embraces  Pike's  Peak,  and  is 
called  the  Rocky  Mountain  District  ;  Rev.  J.  M. 
Chivington,  Presiding  Elder.  This  brother  is  some- 
times called  the  Rocky  Mountain  infant.  His  phys- 
ical dimensions  are  those  of  a  giant,  with  a  soul 
large  in  proportion.  He  wears  a  robe  made  of  wolf- 
skins, with  the  tails  for  tassels.  I  told  him  that  I 
had  read  of  a  wolf  in  sheep's  clothing,  but  never 
before  saw  a  sheep  in  wolf's  clothing. 

27 


3  14  LIFE  OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

i;  The  dust  in  Kansas  was  nearly  suffocating 
whenever  a  train  moved.  Whether  in  the  street  or 
on  the  common,  it  rose  like  a  cloud,  and  was  whirled 
in  every  direction  by  the  wind  ;  which  is  more  furious 
there  than  I  have  witnessed  elsewhere,  except  in 
Minnesota.  If  they  have  there  a  calm  day  or  night, 
it  is  an  exception  to  the  general  rule.  The  wind 
whines,  growls,  yelps,  howls,  bellows,  and  thunders  ; 
and  then  comes  a  blast,  the  effect  of  which  resembles 
the  tread  of  an  earthquake.  If  a  brief  lull  ensue,  it 
is  only  to  gather  strength  for  another  onslaught;  and 
so  it  goes  on,  day  and  night.  One  good  effect  is, 
the  malaria  is  dispersed,  and  the  country  is  mostly 
free  from  bilious  disease.  The  people  generally  look 
very  healthy." 

On  Wednesday,  March  27th,  the  bishop,  accom- 
panied by  Dr.  Hitchcock,  one  of  the  Western  Book 
Agents,  crossed  over  to  St.  Joseph,  Missouri,  a  city 
at  that  time  of  twelve  thousand  inhabitants,  on  the 
Missouri  River,  and  in  the  midst  of  a  country  of  great 
beauty  and  fertility.  They  remained  here  over  Sab- 
bath, preaching  to  the  feeble  society  in  their  humble 
chapel.  It  was,  however,  a  day  of  rest  and  refresh- 
ment to  both  preachers  and  people.  On  Monday  eve- 
ning they  took  a  steamer  for  Nebraska  City,  and, 
with  some  unavoidable  delays,  accomplished  the  jour- 
ney by  Wednesday  night,  arriving  at  about  eight 
o'clock  in  a  drenching  rain-storm.  "  Being  informed 
that  the  boat  would  proceed  on  a  few  miles  to  a 
wood-yard  before  lying  up  for  the  night,  we  went 
ashore  as  soon  as  she  landed,  hoping  to  find  a  hack; 
but  there  was  none  l here,  and   we  had  no  alternative 


FIRST  SESSION  NEBRASKA    CONFERENCE.      3  I  5 

but  to  take  it  on  foot.  The  night  was  very  stormy. 
The  first  step  from  the  gangway  was  into  mud,  and 
every  subsequent  step  from  that  to  the  hotel  was  into 
mud.  It  was  very  adhesive  mud  ;  our  feet  went  in 
easily  enough,  but  the  trouble  was  to  get  them  out. 
The  darkness  was  such  as  to  be  felt.  To  find  the 
way  without  a  guide  was  simply  impossible;  but  a 
fellow-passenger  who  resided  in  the  city  kindly  offered 
to  pilot  us  to  a  hotel.  He  went  before,  repotted  pro- 
gress, and  we  followed  by  the  sound  of  his  voice. 
Our  way  led  over  hills  and  hollows,  which  made  it 
exceedingly  tiresome.  The  rain,  driven  by  a  fierce 
wind,  struck  us  obliquely,  and  with  great  force.  When 
we  reached  the  hotel,  distant  about  half  a  mile  from 
the  landing,  my  outer  garments  were  wet  with  rain, 
and  my  under  ones  equally  so  with  perspiration." 

The  Nebraska  Conference  commenced  its  first 
session  April  4,  1861,  and  adjourned  on  the  following 
Monday  evening.  It  was  a  small  body,  embracing 
but  little  over  twenty  preachers,  and  the  work  was 
arranged  into  two  districts,  covering  the  inhabited 
parts  of  the  territory.  The  prospects,  however,  were 
encouraging,  and  the  Nebraska  has  grown  to  be  a 
large  and  flourishing  Conference. 

In  the  Autumn  of  this  year,  Bishop  Morris  pre- 
sided over  the  Cincinnati  Conference,  at  Springfield, 
September  4th,  and  the  South-eastern  Indiana,  at 
JerTersonville,  September  18th.  In  consequence  of  a 
long  and  severe  illness  of  Mrs.  Morris,  he  did  not 
attend  the  Fall  meeting  of  the  General  Mission  Com- 
mittee, at  New  York,  and  the  annual  meeting  of  the 
bishops  took  place  at  "  Salubria,"  December  12th. 


316  LIFE    OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

In  the  early  part  of  this  year,  the  great  rebellion 
against  the  civil  government  of  the  United  States 
was  inaugurated  in  the  slave-holding  States  of  the 
Union,  and  the  people  were  profoundly  agitated  in 
view  of  the  alarming  prospect.  Fort  Sumter  had 
already  been  fired  upon,  and  armed  treason  was  boldly 
flaunting  defiance  in  the  face  of  the  national  author- 
ities. It  will  interest  the  reader  of  this  biography  to 
know  the  views  of  the  senior  bishop  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church  at  this  critical  and  trying  period 
of  the  country's  history.  On  the  17th  of  May,  1S61, 
he  addressed  a  communication  to  the  Ceiitral  Chris- 
tian Advocate,  St.  Louis,  Missouri,  from  which  we 
quote  a  few  paragraphs  : 

"All  party  strife  about  Republicanism  and  Democ- 
racy, about  Abolition  and  Pro-slaveryism,  should  be 
suspended.  The  choice  now  is  between  law  and 
anarchy.  The  question  at  issue  before  the  American 
people  is,  Government  or  no  Government.  It  has 
but  two  sides,  and*  we  can  employ  but  two  parlies. 
Let  all  the  friends  of  God  and  their  country  take  the 
affirmative  side  of  this  question,  and  the  rest  may 
take  the  negative  side  or  no  side  at  all,  as  they  like. 
He  that  is  not  for  us  is  against  us.  There  is  no 
middle  ground.  Every  friend  to  his  country  can  ren- 
der her  some  aid.  Some  can  take  the  field,  and  o.thers 
can  contribute  toward  defraying  the  expense  ;  and 
they  who  can  neither  give  nor  fight  can  pray. 

"  No  attempt  is,  or  has  been,  made  by  the  Federal 
Government  to  deprive  the  secessionists  of  any  right 
secured  to  them  by  the  Constitution  of  the  United 
States.     On  the  contrary,  the  favors  of  the  Govern- 


BISHOP  MORRIS'S  PATRIOTISM.  317 

ment  have  been  lavished  upon  them  in  undue  propor- 
tion. Secesssion,  therefore,  is  rebellion  without  any- 
plausible  excuse,  and  will  result  in  the  destruction  of 
its  authors  and  leaders,  and  many  of  those  engaged 
in  it.  One  thing  is  cause  of  deep  regret ;  that  is, 
many  innocent  persons  will  suffer  with  the  guilty. 
This  is  unavoidable  from  their  involuntary  relation  to 
the  revolutionary  movement.  As  for  us  who  adhere 
to  the  Union,  we  have  little  to  fear,  and  can  say  with 
David,  '  Though  a  host  should  encamp  against  me, 
my  heart  shall  not  fear :  though  war  should  rise 
against  me,  in  this  will  I  be  confident.'  It  remains 
for  Christians  to  watch,  pray,  trust  in  God  to  save 
the  country,  and  calmly  wait  for  the  result." 

Bishop  Morris  never  faltered  for  a  moment  either 
in  his  patriotic  devotion  to  the  cause  of  the  Union, 
or  his  faith  in  the  ultimate  triumph  of  the  Federal 
arms  ;  and  in  the  darkest  days  of  the  Rebellion,  when 
many  friends  of  the  Government  were  filled  with 
gloomy  forebodings,  the  national  flag,  the  banner  of 
beauty  and  the  emblem  of  freedom,  was  always  seen 
floating  from  the  outer  wall  of  "  Salubria." 

In  1862,  the  bishop's  Spring  work  began  with  the 
Philadelphia  Conference,  which  met  in  the  city  of 
Philadelphia,  March  19th.  The  session  lasted  ten 
days,  and  the  pressure  of  responsibility  and  toil  was 
so  great  that  symptoms  of  Ins  old  disease — paralysis — 
revived,  insomuch  that  he  faltered  and  reeled.  On 
the  last  day  of  the  session — the  appointments  having 
been  all  arranged,  ready  for  announcement — finding 
himself  in  constant  danger  of  prostration,  he  called 
Rev.  T.  J.  Thompson   to  the  chair,  and,  putting  into 


318  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

his  hands  the  business  of  the  Conference,  left  the  city 
fur  Elizabeth,  New  Jersey.  Exemption  from  all  care, 
with  a  few  day's  rest,  so  far  restored  him  that  he  was 
able  to  preach  in  Elizabeth  on  the  following  Sabbath. 

He  next  presided  over  the  Newark  Conference,  at 
Newton,  New  Jersey,  April  2d,  and  on  the  final  ad- 
journment of  that  body,  on  the  9th,  left  for  home 
in  a  severe  snow-storm,  which  had  so  increased  in 
fury  by  the  time  he  reached  the  high  mountain  range 
west  of  Altoona,  in  Pennsylvania,  that  the  train  was 
detained  by  the  snow-drifts  for  ten  hours,  the  passen- 
gers spending  a  gloomy,  cheerless  night  in  the  cars. 
He  finally  reached  home  safely  on  the  nth  of  April. 

Bishop  Morris's  Fall  tour  this  year  embraced  the 
Ohio  Conference,  which  met  at  Zanesville,  Septem- 
ber 2d  ;  the  Central  Ohio,  at  Greenville,  Septem- 
ber 17th;  and  the  Genesee,  at  Batavia,  New  York, 
October  1st. 

During  this  year  he  addressed  a  letter  "  To  the 
Younger  Classes  of  Methodist  Preachers,"  through 
the  columns  of  the  Church  papers,  on  "The  Study 
of  the  Discipline,"  the  substance  of  which  is  sub- 
joined as  worthy  of  permanent  record,  and  entitled 
to  serious  consideration  from  all  classes  of  Methodist 
preachers : 

"1.  Do  not  rely  upon  second-hand  information; 
but  go  to  the  fountain-head,  the  Discipline,  and  learn 
for  yourselves  what  is  required  of  you,  and  how  to 
perform  it.  2.  Do  not  read  the  Discipline  merely  as 
a  history,  or  treatise  on  morals,  but  study  it  as  an 
ecclesiastical  code.  Study  it  consecutively.  When 
you  take  up  one  topic,  never  leave  it  till  you  learn 


STUDY  OF  THE  DISCIPLINE.  319 

all  the  book  contains  in  relation  to  it.  For  example  : 
You  wish  to  know  something  respecting  the  qualifi- 
cations, duties,  and  appointment  of  stewards.  Turn 
to  the  index,  find  the  word  'steward,'  and  then 
examine  carefully  every  page  of  the  book  where  ref- 
erence is  made  to  the  subject,  comparing  one  point 
with  another,  and  you  have,  in  comprehensive  form, 
the  whole  matter.  Having  mastered  it,  pursue  the 
same  course  in  regard  to  the  duties  of  trustees,  class- 
leaders,  exhorters,  local  preachers,  preachers  in  charge, 
presiding  elders,  and  bishops  ;  also  as  to  rules  re- 
specting Sunday-schools,  Missionary  Society,  and 
other  benevolent  institutions,  not  omitting  the  circu- 
lation of  religious  books  and  periodicals.  In  the 
same  way  ascertain  the  business  of  leaders'  and 
stewards'  meeting,  of  quarterly,  annual,  and  General 
Conferences,  and  so  of  all  the  rest. 

"Again  :  Do  you  wish  to  know  how  Church  mem- 
bers are  received,  what  are  their  privileges,  duties, 
and  responsibilities,  and  how  they  are  to  be  tried  for 
various  offenses  ?  .the  whole  process  is  clearly  laid 
down  in  the  Discipline,  and  easily  understood.  In 
this  way  you  may  obtain  more  reliable  information, 
without  neglecting  other  duties,  in  one  year,  than 
you  could  acquire  by  correspondence  in  twenty  years. 
Then,  too,  you  will  have  the  satisfaction  of  feeling 
somewhat  independent,  and  ready  for  any  case  which 
may  come  up  in  your  charge.  Instead  of  having  to 
write  and  wait  for  information,  you  can  proceed  with 
a  case  understandingly  at  once. 

"  3.   Such  knowledge  as  may  be  thus  readily  de- 
rived from  the  study  of  the  Discipline,  is  highly  valu- 


320  LIFE   OF  BISHOP   MO  KRIS. 

able  in  many  respects.  It  would  greatly  increase 
your  efficiency  and  usefulness  in  the  pastoral  office, 
and  secure  an  improved  condition  of  the  work,  and 
by  consequence  you  would  have  better  charges.  It 
would  vastly  augment  your  influence  both  with  the 
ministry  and  the  laymen.  It  would  save  the  bishops 
the  labor  of  writing,  annually,  hundreds  of  letters  in 
answer  to  questions  on  rule  and  administration,  and 
leave  them  more  time  for  other  duties.  To  know 
how  to  enforce  our  rules  properly,  is  a  material  part 
of  ministerial  qualification.  Though  a  brother  could 
preach  like  an  angel,  yet  if  he  possess  no  business 
tact  or  governing  faculty,  he  will  leave  every  charge 
to  which  he  is  sent,  in  confusion,  which  will  render 
him  unacceptable  generally  among  the  people. 

"4.  Finally,  exhort  the  members,  offical  and  pri- 
vate, to  obtain,  read,  and  study  the  latest  edition  of 
our  Discipline,  that  they  may  understand  their  own 
rights  and  duties.  Some  of  them  have  obsolete  edi- 
tions, and  others  have  none.  Some  who  own  the 
book  seldom  read  it  with  care  ;  so  that  many  of  our 
members  know  nothing  of  the  rules  except  what  they 
learn  incidentally,  by  occasionally  witnessing  their 
execution.  Shame  on  any  Church  member  who  re- 
mains willfully  ignorant  of  the  rules  of  his  own 
Church.  And  double  shame  on  any  pastor  who 
encourages  such  ignorance  by  his  example.  Time 
spent  in  exhorting  members  on  this  duty  is  not  lost; 
for  the  more  knowledge  they  have  of  our  rules,  the 
more  easily  they  are  governed  by  them." 

In  1863,  Bishop  Morris  presided  over  the  Ken- 
tucky  Conference,  at   Covington,  February  26th;  the 


" pulpit  force:'  321 

Western   Virginia  Conference,  at   Fairmount,   March 

18th  ;  the  North  Indiana,  at  Wabash,  April  9th;  the 
North  Ohio,  at  Mount  Vernon,  September  2d  ;  the 
Indiana,  at  Washington,  September  16th  ;  and  the 
North-west  Indiana,  at  Michigan  City,  September  30th. 

He  also,  during  that  year,  communicated  to  one 
of  the  Church  papers  his  ideas  on  the  subject  of 
"Pulpit  Force,"  saying,  among  other  things: 

"  So  far  as  I  can  see,  our  chief  deficiency  is  at 
this  point, — ive  lack  force  in  our  pulpit  performances. 
The  orthodoxy  of  our  ministers  is  bnt  little  ques- 
tioned ;  our  educational  advantages  are  considerable, 
and  increasing  ;  we  have  comfortable  Churches,  well 
filled  with  auditors  who  appreciate  and  support  the 
Gospel.  In  all  these  respects  we  are  more  highly 
favored  than  our  fathers  were.  Yet  in  practical  use- 
fulness they  excelled  us  ;  their  preaching  was  more 
successful  than  ours  is.  As  pulpit  orators  we  are  but 
children,  compared  to  our  fathers  in  Christ.  Many 
of  our  early  Methodist  ministers  spoke  with  such 
wisdom  and  power  as  their  enemies  could  not  gain- 
say or  resist.  Now,  if  we  would  be  alike  successful, 
we  must  aim  to  wield  the  same  power  which  our 
fathers  did,  and  for  the  same  purpose  ;  that  is,  to 
glorify  God  in  the  salvation  of  men,  women,  and 
children.  In  order  to  do  this,  we  should  have  respect, 
first,  to  the  choice  of  subjects,  selecting  such  as  plead 
directly  to  the  heart  and  conscience  of  our  hearers. 
Here  we  often  fail.  A  well-put,  logical  argument, 
on  a  speculative  question,  may  interest  the  curious, 
and  elicit  a  little  praise  or  censure,  according  to  the 
notions  of  critics  respectively  ;   but   few   are   perma- 


322  LIFE    OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

nently  benefited  by  it.  The  great  truths  of  the 
Gospel — such  as  human  depravity,  the  atoning  sacri- 
fice of  Christ,  the  agency  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and 
man's  personal  salvation — are  the  most  effective  pulpit 
topics. 

"Secondly,  we  should  preach  those  doctrines  in 
faith,  nothing  doubting.  When  we  faithfully  execute 
the  commission  which  God  has  given  us,  why  should 
we  doubt  his  blessing  upon  his  own  word  ?  But,  to 
maintain  full  confidence  in  the  Gospel  message,  we 
must  ourselves  be  living  examples  of  its  power  to 
save.  Then  our  preaching  will  be  'in  demonstration 
of  the  Spirit,  and  of  power.'  Thirdly,  let  us  not  bur- 
den ourselves  with  notes  to  look  at  in  the  pulpit ; 
the)r  are  worse  than  useless.  Who  would  think  of 
moving  a  multitude  by  reading  a  manuscript,  with 
his  finger  on  the  lines,  and  his  eyes  on  the  words? 
He  might  as  well  attempt  to  box  with  his  hands 
tied,  or  to  run  with  his  feet  hoppled.  Away  with  all 
such  incumbrances.  Give  us  a  clear  field,  with  head 
and  heart  full  of  the  subject  on  hand,  with  faith  in 
vigorous  exercise  ;  let  us  look  our  auditors  fully  in 
the  eyes,  and  watch  to  see  where  the  word  takes 
effect,  where  the  sword  of  the  Spirit  strikes,  and 
repeat  the  blows  till  the  sinner  yields  to  be  saved 
by  grace." 

In  1864,  Bishop  Morris  presided  over  the  West 
Virginia  Conference,  at  Parkersburg,  March  16th,  and 
the  North  Indiana  Conference,  at  Knightstown,  April 
6th.  At  the  session  of  the  West  Virginia  Conference 
the  following  paper  was  adopted  : 

"  Whereas,  we  have  been  permitted  once  more  to 


COMPLIMENTARY  RESOLUTIONS.  323 

have  our  beloved  and  venerable  senior  bishop,  Rev. 
T.  A.  Monis,  D.  D.,  preside  over  our  annual  session  ; 
and  zuJicrcas,  his  presence  and  counsel  here  have 
been  of  inestimable  advantage  to  his  brethren  and 
sons  in  the  Gospel,  on  whom,  in  this  his  native 
State,  it  has  devolved,  in  these  days  of  darkness  and 
rebuke,  to  stand  in  the  breach  and  sustain  the  ban- 
ner which  God  has  given  us  for  his  cause  and  truth  ; 
therefore, 

u  1.  Resolved,  That  we  express  our  gratitude  to  the 
great  Head  of  the  Church  for  permitting  us  to  meet 
Bishop  Morris  again  in  an  annual  conference. 

"2.  Resolved,  That  we  rejoice  in  that  grace  which 
has  brought  our  beloved  bishop  to  the  completion  of 
half  a  century  in  the  work  and  ministry  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  and  his  Church. 

-  "  3.  Resolved,  That  we  tender  to  Bishop  Morris 
assurances  of  our  hearty  sympathy  with  him  amid 
the  growing  infirmities  and  disabilities  of  age,  and 
our  continued  prayers  that,  if  it  be  God's  will,  he 
may  long  be  spared  to  occupy  the  exalted  position 
which  he  has  so  long  sustained  in  the  Christian  min- 
istry, and  to  bless  the  Church  and  the  world  with 
his  advice  and  prayers. 

"4.  Resolved,  That  a  certified  copy  of  these  reso- 
lutions be  presented  to  Bishop  Morris. 

"Alexander  Martin, 
"James  Drummond. 

"Parkersburg,  West  Virginia,  March  21,  1864." 
With  the  session  of  the  North    Indiana   Confer- 
ence Bishop  Morris  closed  his  sixth   quadrennial  of 
episcopal  labor. 


324  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 


CHAPTER    XIV. 

GENERAL  CONFERENCE  OF    1 864 UNION  CHAPEL   CASE,   CIN- 
CINNATI  SEMI-CENTENNIAL    SERMON. 

THE  General  Conference  of  1864  assembled  in 
Union  Church,  in  the  city  of  Philadelphia,  on 
Monday,  the  second  day  of  May.  Bishops  Morris, 
Janes,  Scott,  Simpson,  Baker,  and  Ames  were 
present.  The  Conference  was  composed  of  two 
hundred  and  sixteen  delegates,  representing  forty- 
nine  annual  conferences.  The  opening  religious 
services  were  conducted  by  Bishop  Morris.  After 
the  organization  of  the  Conference  in  the  usual 
manner,  the  following  preamble  and  resolutions, 
submitted  by  Rev.  E.  Thomson,  D.  D.,  were  adopted 
unanimously,  by  a  rising  vote  : 

"  Whereas,  our  beloved  senior  superintendent, 
Thomas  A.  Morris,  has  completed  his  half-century 
of  ministerial  service,  a  service  scarcely  interrupted 
by  sickness,  and  rendered  in  various  relations — 
pastoral,  editorial,  and  episcopal — and  with  uniform 
acceptance,  and  which  brings  him  to  his  seventieth 
year  with  a  reputation  unsullied,  an  eye  undimmed, 
and  a  natural  force  which,  though  abated,  is  still 
strong  ;    therefore, 

"  1.  Resolved,  That  we    recognize   with    gratitude 


PATRIOTIC  RELIGIOUS  SERVICES.  $2$ 

the  hand  of  God  in  prolonging  the  life  and  preserv- 
ing the  health,  the  mind,  and  the  fair  fame  of  our 
venerable  superintendent. 

"2.  Resolved,  That  Bishop  Morris  is  hereby  re- 
spectfully requested  to  preach  before  the  Conference, 
at  some  period  convenient  for  him,  a  discourse  noting 
the  progress  of  the  Church  during  his  past  minis- 
terial life,  with  such  observations  and  counsels  as 
the  review  may  suggest  to  him." 

A  resolution  was  also  adopted,  on  the  first  day  of 
the  session,  requesting  the  trustees  of  the  church  in 
which  the  Conference  held  its  sittings,  to  display  the 
flag  of  the  United  States  over  the  building  during 
the  sessions  of  the  body. 

As  the  country  was  now  in  the  very  crisis  of  the 
great  Rebellion,  we  are  not  surprised  to  find  a  fur- 
ther resolution  adopted,  on  the  motion  of  Rev.  Gran- 
ville Moody,  D.  D.,  that  "  Friday,  May  6th,  be  set 
apart  as  a  day  of  fasting  and  prayer  to  Almighty 
God,  on  behalf  of  our  country  in  this  hour  of  her 
peril  ;  and  that  the  occasion  be  observed  by  appro- 
priate religious  services,  morning,  afternoon,  and 
evening,  in  the  several  Methodist  churches  of  this 
city  ;  and  that  our  people  throughout  the  country  be 
requested  to  observe  similar  services  on  that  day,  in 
their  several  places  of  religious  worship." 

Early  in  the  session,  an  address  to  President 
Lincoln  was  adopted,  expressing  to  him  the  loyalty 
of  the  Church,  her  earnest  devotion  to  the  interests 
of  the  country,  and  her  sympathy  with  the  Chief 
Magistrate  in  the  great  responsibilities  of  his  high 
position. 


326  LIFE   OF  BISI10T  MORRIS. 

"  In  this  present  struggle  for  the  Nation's  life," 
says  the  address,  "  many  thousands  of  her  members, 
and  a  large  number  of  her  ministers,  have  rushed  to 
arms,  to  maintain  the  cause  of  God  and  humanity. 
They  have  sealed  their  devotion  to  their  country 
with  their  blood,  on  every  battle-field  of  this 
terrible  war. 

"  Our  earnest  and  constant  prayer  is,  that  this 
cruel  and  wicked  rebellion  may  be  speedily  sup- 
pressed ;  and  we  pledge  you  our  hearty  co-operation 
in  nil  appropriate  means  to  secure  this  object. 
Loyal  and  hopeful  in  national  adversity,  in  prosperity 
thankful,  we  most  heartily  congratulate  you  on  the 
glorious  victories  recently  gained  ;  and  rejoice  in  the 
belief  that  our  complete  triumph  is  near. 

"  We  honor  you  for  your  proclamations  of  liberty, 
and  rejoice  in  all  the  acts  of  the  Government  de- 
signed to  secure  freedom  to  the  enslaved. 

"The  prayers  of  millions  of  Christians,  with  an 
earnestness  never  manifested  for  rulers  before,  daily 
ascend  to  Heaven,  that  you  may  be  endued  with  all 
needed  wisdom  and  power.  Actuated  by  sentiments 
of  the  loftiest  and  purest  patriotism,  our  prayer  shall 
be  continually  for  the  preservation  of  our  country 
undivided,  for  the  triumph  of  our  cause,  and  for  a 
permanent  peace,  gained  by  the  sacrifice  of  no  moral 
principle,  but  founded  on  the  Word  of  God,  and 
securing,  in  righteousness,  liberty  and  equal  rights 
to  all." 

The  address  was  conveyed  to  President  Lincoln 
by  a  Committee  of  five  distinguished  members  of  the 
Conference  ;    namely,    Bishop    Ames,   and    Reverend 


UNION  CHAPEL   CASE.  327 

Doctors  Cummings,  George  Peck,  Charles  Elliott, 
and  Moody.  The  reply  of  the  President  will  ever 
be  regarded  as  among  the  most  eloquent  and  beau- 
tiful utterances  of  that  great  statesman.      He  said  : 

"Gentlemen, —  In  response  to  your  address, 
allow  me  to  attest  the  accuracy  of  its  historical 
statements,  indorse  the  sentiments  it  expresses,  and 
thank  you,  in  the  Nation's  name,  for  the  sure 
promise  it  gives. 

"  Nobly  sustained  as  the  Government  has  been 
by  all  the  Churches,  I  would  utter  nothing  which 
might  in  the  least  appear  invidious  against  any; 
yet,  without  this,  it  may  fairly  be  said  that  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  not  less  devoted  than 
the  best,  is,  by  its  greater  numbers,  the  most  im- 
portant of  all.  It  is  no  fault  in  others  that  the 
Methodist  Church  sends  more  soldiers  to  the  field, 
more  nurses  to  the  hospitals,  and  more  prayers  to 
heaven  than  any.  God  bless  the  Methodist  Church  ! 
Bless  all  the  Churches!  And  blessed  be  God,  who, 
in  this  our  great  trial,  giveth  us  the  Churches!" 

During  the  session  of  this  General  Conference,  a 
memorial  was  presented  from  Union  Chapel,  Cincin- 
nati, complaining  of  the  administration  of  Bishop 
Morris  in  their  case,  and  referred  to  the  Committee 
on  Episcopacy.  Union  Chapel  was  organized,  in 
1849,  by  a  number  of  active  and  influential  Meth- 
odists of  Cincinnati,  with  the  avowed  object  of  pro- 
moting certain  changes  in  the  polity  of  Methodism. 
The  property  was  held  by  trustees,  in  trust  for  the 
society;  the  rule  then  existing,  requiring  "men  and 
women    to   sit   apart,"  was   ignored  ;  and  a  resolution 


328  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

was  adopted  by  the  "Official  Board,"  declining  the 
responsibility  of  furnishing  the  customary  support  to 
the  presiding  elder,  on  the  ground  that  the  services 
of  such  an  officer  were  useless.  The  position  as- 
sumed by  this  charge,  in  opposition  to  the  usages  of 
Methodism  generally,  produced  more  or  less  irrita- 
tion ;  but  appointments  were  made  to  it,  from  time  to 
time,  of  such  ministers  as  the  Official  Board  selected 
without  consultation  with  the  presiding  elder  of  the 
district,  and  generally  from  other  conferences. 

In' the  Fall  of  1859,  R-ev-  George  C.  Robinson, 
of  New  York,  a  young  and  brilliant  minister,  was 
appointed  pastor  of  Union  Chapel.  Under  his  min- 
istry the  Church  was  greatly  prospered,  and  he  be- 
came much  endeared  to  the  people.  Very  soon, 
however,  in  consequence  of  failing  health,  he  was 
compelled  to  relinquish  his  pulpit,  and  desist  from 
active  labor.  Under  the  directions  of  his  physicians, 
he  went  abroad,  and  sought  by  travel  in  Europe  to 
repair  his  broken  constitution  ;  the  congregation 
meantime  continuing  his  salary,  and  securing  as  a 
supply  for  their  pulpit  the  Rev.  W.  A.  Snively,  who 
held  a  supernumerary  relation  to  the  East  Baltimore 
Conference.  The  relation  of  Mr.  Snively  as  pastor 
of  Union  Chapel  was  duly  legalized  by  the  proper 
authorities  ;  and  he  continued  to  fill  the  pulpit  ac- 
ceptably during  the  unexpired  term  of  Mr.  Robinson. 

On  the  5th  of  August,  1861,  the  Official  Board 
appointed  a  Committee  of  three  to  address  Bishop 
Morris  on  the  subject  of  a  ministerial  supply  for  the 
ensuing  year;  and  in  this  communication  to  the 
bishop  a   request   was    made    that    Union    Chapel    be 


UNION  CHAPEL  CASE.  329 

left  "to  be  supplied,"  with  the  understanding  that 
Mr.  Snively  would  be  employed  for  another  year. 
The  letter  to  Bishop  Morris  closed  with  these  words: 

"  We  will  only  add  that  Union  Chapel  is  essen- 
tially Methodist,  and  has  not  the  remotest  idea  of 
ignoring  its  relationship  to  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church,  whatever  may  be  said  to  the  contrary  ;  and 
we  therefore  beg  your  attention  to  our  own  state- 
ment, and  compliance  with  our  request,  unless  it  be 
absolutely  impossible,  in  which  case  we  desire  to  be 
informed,  in  order  that  we  may  take  action  in  regard 
to  some  other  course." 

Bishop  Morris,  for  reasons  that  will  appear  here- 
after, declined  acceding  to  the  request  of  the  Board, 
and  appointed  Rev.  George  C.  Crum,  D.  D.,  one  of 
the  leading  ministers  of  his  Conference,  as  pastor  of 
the  charge.  Soon  after  the  adjournment  of  the  Cin- 
cinnati Conference,  the  Official  Board  of  Union 
Chapel  was  convened,  and  a  resolution  adopted  de- 
clining to  receive  Dr.  Crum  as  their  pastor.  This 
action  was  subsequently  indorsed  by  a  meeting  of 
the  congregation.  In  view  of  these  facts,  Bishop 
Morris  advised  the  presiding  elder  of  the  district  to 
drop  Union  Chapel  from  his  plan,  and  hold  no  quar- 
terly-meeting there,  nor  furnish  any  supply,  until 
the  brethren  of  that  society  conformed  to  law.  and 
order. 

On    the    28th  of  October,    1861,  at  a  meeting  of 

the    Official    Board,  a  resolution    was    adopted  "  that* 

Bishop    Morris    be,  and   he    is    hereby,    requested    to 

transfer,   or    to    secure    the    transfer   of,    Rev.   W.  A. 

Snively  to  this   [Cincinnati]   Conference,  and  appoint 

28 


330  LIFE  OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

him  to  Union  Chapel,  as  a  final  disposition  of  this 
entire  question."  This  resolution,  with  others  re- 
lating to  the  presiding  eldership  and  the  loyalty  of 
Union  Chapel  to  Methodism,  having  been  duly  for- 
warded to  Bishop  Morris,  he  sent  the  following  reply  : 

"Springfield,  O.,  November  n,  1861. 
"  To  the  Official  Members  of  Union  Chapel,  Cincinnati: 

"  Dear  Brethren, — Your  resolutions  of  the  4th 
and  7th  inst.  are  before  me  ;  the  first  and  second  of 
which  refer  chiefly  to  the  office  and  administration 
of  your  presiding  elder,  who  is  responsible  to  the 
Annual  Conference  for  his  administration,  as  I  am  to 
the  General  Conference  for  mine.  Presuming  that 
he  understands  his  official  duty,  and  is  aiming  to 
perform  it  as  best  he  can  under  the  circumstances,  I 
need  not  enter  into  the  special  pleadings  in  his  case. 
I  find  it  enough  for  me  to  meet  and  sustain  my  own 
official  responsibilty. 

"  You  request  me  to  transfer,  or  secure  the  trans- 
fer of,  Rev.  W.  A.  Snively  to  this  Conference,  and 
appoint  him  to  the  pastorate  of  Union  Chapel,  as 
a  final  disposition  of  this  entire  question. 

"  I  am  obliged  to  decline  compliance  with  this 
request,  for  the  following  reasons  : 

"  1.  It  would  be  a  violation  of  official  instructions 
given  to  the  bishops  by  the  General  Conference 
of  i860,  namely  : 

"'1.  Resolved,  That  while  we  cheerfully  accord  to  our  ex- 
cellent superintendents  their  constitutional  right  to  supply 
the  general  work  by  transfers  when  necessary,  we  respect- 
fully request  that  transfers  may  never  be  made  solely  at  the 
personal    solicitation    of   the    preacher    desiring    to   be   trans- 


1 II E  BISHOP'S  A  CTION.  3  3  I 

ferred  ;  nor  jet  to  gratify  tlie  wishes  of  any  one  charge,  be- 
tween whom  and  the  proposed  appointee,  negotiations  have 
been  previously  made. 

"'2.  Resolved,  That  negotiations  for  special  appointments 
in  the  pastoral  work  between  individual  ministers  and  societies, 
prior  to  the  exercise  of  the  regular  appointing  power  in  our 
Church,  is  contrary  to  our  economy,  and  injurious  to  our  itin- 
erant system.' — Journal  General  Conference,  i860,  pp.  224,  398. 

"  No  comment  is  necessary  to  show  that  to  com- 
ply with  your  request  would  be  a  palpable  violation 
of  this  instruction,  for  which  I  would  be  justly 
held  responsible.  This  alone  would  prevent  my 
compliance. 

"  2.  The  crowded  state  of  the  Cincinnati  Con- 
ference. Not  an  individual  was  admitted  or  read- 
mitted, at  its  last  session,  for  want  of  room.  Dr. 
Crum  is  still  without  any  place,  and  some  half-dozen 
members  of  Conference,  now  in  the  army,  should 
they  return,  would  find  themselves  without  any  field 
of  ministerial  labor  ;  and  for  me  to  add  to  the  bur- 
den, by  transferring  more  ministerial  force  to  this 
Conference,  would  be  an  unreasonable  impropriety. 

"  3.  The  practice  of  certain  charges  negotiating 
with  individual  ministers  to  become  their  pastors, 
and  then  merely  asking  the  bishop  to  ratify  their 
own  proceedings,  is  embarrassing  to  the  appointing 
power,  and,  in  my  judgment,  contrary  to  the  rules 
and  regulations  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  ; 
and  should  be  discouraged  by  all  concerned,  as  far 
as  possible.  For  these  very  sufficient  reasons,  I  re- 
spectfully decline  compliance  with  your  request  in 
the  case  of  Mr.  Snively. 

"As  this  may  be  my  final  response,  I  wish  to  say 


3 32  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

a  few  other  things.  As  to  the  legitimate  exercise 
of  the  appoining  power,  and  the  motives  which  influ- 
ence it,  you  will  please  observe  that  we  profess  to  be 
governed  by  the  Discipline,  and  not  by  the  local 
regulations  of  Union  Chapel,  or  any  other  charge, — 
however  pleasant  it  might  be  to  gratify  personal 
friends.  .  .  .  When  churches  are  not  conveyed 
to  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  according  to  the 
Discipline,  she  claims  no  legal  right  to  enforce  her 
authority.  Such  Churches  can  only  be  supplied  with 
her  preachers  by  consent  of  parties.  While  such 
Churches  secure  to  our  ministers  the  free  use  of 
their  pulpits  and  the  right  to  administer  the  Dis- 
cipline, and  will  receive  and  support  them  on  such 
terms,  we  may  supply  them  with  pastors,  and  good 
may  be  done  ;  but  when  such  Churches  cease  to 
comply  with  these  terms,  all  we  can  do  is  to  with- 
hold the  supply  of  pastors,  and  let  them  fall  back  on 
their  own  resources.  As  to  the  terms  on  which 
Union  Chapel  can  hereafter  be  recognized  (as  stated 
in  my  fourth  reply,  of  October  28th),  after  a  careful 
review,  I  find  no  cause  to  change.  It  will' be  ob- 
served that  I  said  nothing  about  a  new  deed,  believ- 
ing, as  I  did,  that  all  these  terms  could  be  met  under 
your  existing  title.  They  who  assumed  and  exercised 
the  rejecting  power  could  at  any  time  adopt  the 
opposite  policy,  and  receive  the  preacher  sent ;  and 
he  who  locked  the  door  on  us  could  unlock  it,  or 
they  who  directed  him  to  close  the  door  could  direct 
him  to  open  it  ;  and  the  trustees  who  secured  the 
pulpit  to  ministers  of  their  own  choosing  could 
secure  it  to  our  ministers  if  they  would.     I  therefore 


THE  BISHOP'S  LETTER.  333 

kindly,  but  firmly,  adhere  to  the  terms  laid  down  in  my 
said  fourth  reply.  Whether  Union  Chapel  shall  again 
appear  on  the  Minutes  of  the  Cincinnati  Conference,  is 
contingent  on  her  coming  to  the  terms  of  the  Disci- 
pline— at  least,  so  far  as  my  administration  is  concerned. 

"From  the  time  that  Union  Chapel  received  the 
first  pastor  from  the  Cincinnati  Conference,  in  1852, 
I  tried  for  years  to  conciliate  good  feeling,  and  to 
obliterate  all  unpleasantness  that  had  arisen  between 
her  members  and  the  Conference,  and  to  accomplish 
which  I  favored  certain  measures  of  accommodation 
in  regard  to  transfers,  beyond  what  some  brethren 
considered  consistent  with  my  official  obligation, 
hoping  that  in  due  time  things  would  settle  down 
into  a  regular  course,  and  that  Union  Chapel  would 
receive  pastors  from  the  Conference  as  other  charges 
do.  But  in  this  I  am  disappointed.  She  still  claims 
the  right  to  select  her  own  pastors,  and  so  general 
is  the  dissatisfaction  of  other  charges  on  account 
thereof,  that  the  peace  of  the  Church  requires  our 
strict  adherence  to  rule  and  order. 

"It  is  not  in  anger  that  I  say  these  things,  'but 
speak  the  truth  in  love.'  I  have  no  pleasure  in  your 
d  stitution,  and  at  any  time  when  you  choose  to 
signify  your  acceptance  of  the  above  terms,  we  will 
at  our  earliest  convenience  furnish  you  a  pastor  from 
the  Conference  whose  physical  capacity  to  do  the 
work  of  Union  Chapel  charge  will  not  be  questioned. 
"Yours,  very  truly,  T.  A.  Morris." 

The  fourth  reply,  of  October  28th,  referred  to  in 
this  letter,  contains  the  condition   laid  down   by  the 


334  LIFE   0F  BISHOP  MO RR1S. 

bishop,  on  which  he  would  consent  to  restore  Union 
Chapel  to  its  place  in  the  Minutes  of  the  Conference, 
and  appoint  a  pastor,  in  the  following  words  : 

"When  the  brethren  of  Union  Chapel  shall  give 
satisfactory  assurance  that  they  will  receive  and  sup- 
port such  preacher  as  may  be  appointed  by  the  proper 
authorities  to  serve  them,  either  as  presiding  elder 
or  pastor,  and  that  such  regular  appointees  shall  have 
full  use  of  the  pulpit  and  the  right  to  administer  the 
Discipline  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  as  in 
other  regular  Methodist  Churches,  then  they  may 
expect  to  have  attention  and  supplies  equal  to  those 
of  other  city  charges,  and  not  before,  from  me." 

Instead  of  complying  with  these  terms,  the  Official 
Board  of  Union  Chapel,  at  a  meeting  held  Septem- 
ber 22,  1862,  resolved  to  "refer  the  questions  in- 
volved in  this  controversy"  to  the  General  Conference 
of  1864. 

This  was  accordingly  done,  as  we  have  already 
stated  ;  and  on  the  21st  day  of  May,  and  the  seven- 
teenth day  of  the  session,  Rev.  J.  M.  Trimble,  D.  D., 
Chairman  of  the  Committee  on  Episcopacy,  presented 
the  following  report,  which  was  adopted  : 

"Your  Committee  have  examined  the  memorial  of 
Union  Chapel,  Cincinnati  Conference,  complaining 
of  the  administration  of  the  bishops  in  their  case,  and 
also  the  official  correspondence  which   it  occasioned. 

"They  find  the  facts  to  be,  that,  in  1861,  the 
minister  appointed  as  pastor  of  Union  Chapel  was 
rejected  by  the  officiary,  not  because  of  any  thing 
personally  objectionable  in  the  appointee,  but  because 
the  officiary  aforesaid  had   not  been  consulted  in  the 


REPORT  OF  COMMITTEE.  335 

matter  of  the  appointment,  they  desiring  to  retain 
the  services  of  a  man  who  had  already  been  regularly 
appointed  to  them  the  preceding  two  years.  Further, 
that  they  not  only  voted  to  reject  the  pastor  ap- 
pointed, but  advertised  in  the  daily  newspapers  that 
Union  Chapel  was  without  a  pastor,  and  locked  the 
doors  of  the  Church  on  Sabbath  morning,  thus  exclud- 
ing the  pastor  and  presiding  elder,  claiming  for 
themselves  the  right  to  do  so  because  of  the  pecul- 
iarity of  their  deed.  Under  these  circumstances, 
Bishop  Morris  released  the  minister  appointed  to 
Union  Chapel,  and  notified  the  Official  Board  that  he 
could  not  consent  to  the  appointment  of  another 
preacher  to  the  charge,  except  upon  the  following 
conditions,  namely:  I.  That  the  official  and  private 
members  should  jointly  agree  that  hereafter  they 
would  support  such  ministers  of  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal Church  as  her  regular  appointing  authority 
should  from  time  to  time  appoint  to  the  pastorate  of 
Union  Chapel  ;  2.  That  they  should  receive  such 
presiding  elder  as  should  from  time  to  time  be  ap- 
pointed to  the  district  including  Union  Chapel,  and 
pay  their  proper  proportion  of  his  claim,  according 
to  Discipline;  3.  That  the  trustees  of  Union  Chapel 
should  guarantee  to  such  regular  appointees,  whether 
as  pastors  or  presiding  elders,  the  free  use  of  the 
pulpit. 

"  He  further  stated  to  them  as  follows :  Union 
•Chapel  is  in  a  state  of  insubordination,  and  if  it 
remains  so  till  next  Conference  it  will  be  left  off  the 
list  of  Conference  charges,  and  cease  to  appear  in  our 
official  Minutes. 


336  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

"In  accordance  with  this,  Bishop  Morris  gave 
special  instruction  to  the  presiding  elder  to  give  cer- 
tificates of  membership  to  all  loyal  members  desiring 
to  remove  their  relation  to  some  other  charge. 

"At  the  session  of  the  Cincinnati  Conference,  in 
1862,  these  terms  not  having  been  complied  with, 
Union  Chapel  was  stricken  by  the  presiding  bishop 
from  the  list  of  Conference  charges. 

"  In  all  this,  so  far  from  seeing  any  thing  to  cen- 
sure, the  Committee  believe  the  administration  to 
have  been  wise  and  just,  and  that  Bishop  Morris  is 
to  be  commended  for  the  firmness  with  which  he 
maintained  the  Discipline  and  order  of  the  Church. 
"J.  M.  Trimble,  Chairman. 
"T.  M.  Eddy,  Secretary >." 

On  the  26th  of  May,  the  Committee  on  Episco- 
pacy submitted  the  following  preamble  and  resolu- 
tions, which  were  adopted  : 

"Whereas,  our  honored  and  beloved  senior  super- 
intendent, Rev.  Thomas  A.  Morris,  has  for  nearly 
half  a  century  rendered  valuable  and  effective  service 
in  -various  important  relations  to  the  Church,  and  for 
nearly  thirty  years  has  officiated  acceptably  and 
usefully  as  a  general  superintendent  ;  and  whereas, 
his  advanced  age  demands  a  respite  from  his  arduous 
labors  ;  therefore, 

"Resolved,  That  whether  Bishop  Morris  shall  con- 
tinue to  travel  and  perform  episcopal  duties  during 
the  next  quadrennial  term,  and,  if  so,  to  what  extent, 
shall  he  be  left  to  his  judgment  and  that  of  his  epis- 
copal colleagues. 


SEMI-CENTENNIAL  SERMON.  337 

"Resolved,  That  our  satisfaction  with  the  eminent 
and  highly  useful  services  of  our  venerated  senior 
superintendent  is  recorded  with  profound  gratitude 
to  God,  and  with  fervent  prayers  that  we  may  long 
enjoy  his  presence  and  counsels,  and  that  his  path 
may  ' shine  more  and  more  unto  the  perfect  day."' 

On  the  20th  of  May,  the  Episcopal  Board  was 
strengthened  by  the  election  of  Davis  W.  Clark, 
Edward  Thomson,  and  Calvin  Kingsley,  and  on  Tues- 
day, the  24th,  they  were  solemnly  ordained  and  set 
apart  to  the  work  of  bishops  of  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal Church  in  the  United  States  of  America. 

In  compliance  with  the  request  made  by  the  Con- 
ference on  the  first  day  of  the  session,  Bishop  Morris 
preached  his  semi-centennial  sermon  on  the  10th  of 
May.  Before  commencing  his  sermon,  the  bishop 
said  that,  to  prevent  misunderstanding,  he  would 
make  a  brief  explanation.  In  the  resolution  request- 
ing this  service,  allusion  was  made  to  the  completion 
of  his  fiftieth  year  in  the  ministry;  nearly  two  of 
these  years,  however,  had  passed  before  his  reception 
into  the  Ohio  Conference  in  18 16.  He  then  pro- 
ceeded to  deliver  the  following: 

SERMON. 

♦'As  for  me,  this  is  my  covenant  with  them,  saith  the  Lord  :  My 
Spirit  that  is  upon  thee,  and  my  words  which  I  have  put  in  thy  mouth, 
shall  not  depart  out  of  thy  mouth,  nor  out  of  the  mouth  of  thy  seed, 
nor  out  of  the  mouth  of  thy  seed's  seed,  saith  the  Lord,  from  hence- 
forth and  forever." — Isaiah  lix,  21. 

"A   covenant    is   an   agreement    between    parties, 

with    certain    stipulations    by    which    the    parties   are 

bound.     The  parties  in   this  case   are   the  Lord  and 

29 


33§  LIFE    OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

his  believing  people.  'And  the  Redeemer  shall  come 
to  Zion,  and  unto  them  that  turn  from  transgression 
in  Jacob,  saith  the  Lord.  As  for  me,  this  is  my  cov- 
enant with  them,  saith  the  Lord.'  'This  is  my  cove- 
nant', with  the  members  of  Zion — with  God's  believing 
people — 'saith  the  Lord  :  My  Spirit  that  is  upon  thee 
and  my  words  which  I  have  put  in  thy  mouth,  shall 
not  depart  out  of  thy  mouth,  nor  out  of  the  mouth 
of  thy  seed,  nor  out  of  the  mouth  of  thy  seed's  seed, 
saith  the  Lord,  from  henceforth  and  forever.' 

"Our  blessed  Lord,  when  about  to  leave  his  dis- 
ciples and  ascend  into  heaven,  promised  that  he 
would  give  them  'another  Comforter,  that  should  abide 
with  them  forever.'  And  in  another  place  he  said  : 
'But  when  the  Comforter  is  come,  whom  I  will  send 
unto  you  from  the  Father,  even  the  Spirit  of  truth, 
which  proceedeth  from  the  Father,  he  shall  testify 
of  me  ;'  so  that  the  Holy  Ghost,  vouchsafed  to  the 
Church  of  God  through  all  the  successive  ages  of  the 
Christian  dispensation,  is  given  to  believers.  We 
think  that  the  Spirit  spoken  of  in  the  text,  however, 
has  reference  to  the  disposition  of  the  new  hearts  of 
God's  believing  and  saved  people,  and  which  is  to 
be  perpetuated  among  them  and  their  posterity  to 
the  end  of  time.  This  promise  is  not  restricted  to 
any  one  branch  of  the  Christian  Church.  I  am  very 
far  from  believing  that  all  the  good  people  in  the 
world  are  in  our  Church.  I  believe  there  are  many 
as  good  in  other  denominations.  We  make  no  oppo- 
sition to  any  living  branch  of  the  Church  of  Christ. 
Yet  we  shall  take  the  liberty,  on  this  occasion,  to 
speak  more  especially  of  our   own   denomination   as 


SEMI-CENTENNIAL  SERMON.  339 

being  more  immediately  identified  with  it,  and  best 
acquainted  with  its  history. 

"The  first  Methodist  society  was  formed  in 
England  in  1739,  nearly  one  hundred  and  twenty- 
five  years  ago.  Since  that,  the  society  has  branched 
out  all  over  England,  Ireland,  Wales,  and  Scotland, 
and,  by  missionary  enterprise,  has  reached  some  of 
the  heathen  nations  of  the  earth.  The  first  American 
society  was  organized  in  1766,  ninety-eight  years  ago. 
In  two  years  from  this  time  we  shall  be  celebrating 
the  Centenary  of  American  Methodism,  and  we  hope 
and  pray  for  a  time  of  refreshing  from  the  presence 
of  the  Lord. 

"  Methodism  has  become  a  great  power  on  both 
sides  of  the  Atlantic  ;  and  it  is  well  worth  while  to 
inquire  what  is  the  secret  of  this  great  success.  To 
take  in  the  whole  subject  in  one  brief  discourse,  is 
simply  out  of  the  question.  We  propose  to  speak 
to-day  on  one  topic  ;  namely,  the  Spirit  of  Methodism. 
That  is  our  topic. 

"  I.   And,  in  the  first  place,  the   Spirit   of 

METHODfSM    IS    THE    SPIRIT    OF    TRUTH. 

"  Pilate,  the  Roman  Governor,  said  to  our  blessed 
Lord  while  under  examination,  'What  is  truth?'  Of 
course,  our  Savior  did  not  condescend  to  answer  the 
question  in  that  connection  ;  but  he  did  answer  it  in 
another  connection.  When  praying  for  his  disciples, 
he  said,  '  Sanctify  them  through  thy  truth  ;  thy  word 
is  truth.'  Here  it  is,  brethren  :  the  Bible  is  truth — 
the  basis  of  civil  government,  the  standard  of  morals, 
of  doctrine,  of  experience,  and  of  practice  ;  the 
standard    from    which    there   is  no  appeal.     And   the 


340  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

view  of  Bible  truth  received  and  taught  by  the 
Methodist  Church  is  at  once  brief  and  comprehen- 
sive. It  embraces  all  that  is  essential  to  salvation. 
The  doctrine  of  the  fall  of  man,  of  the  redemption 
of  the  world  by  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  of  the  gift 
and  operations  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  to  enlighten  us,  to 
ennoble  us,  and  to  dispose  us  to  the  exercise  of 
repentance  toward  God  and  faith  toward  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  ;  the  doctrine  of  justification  by  faith, 
of  regeneration  by  the  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit ; 
the  doctrine  of  holiness,  or  sanctification  ;  the  doc- 
trine of  perseverance,  or  continuance  in  well-doing  ; 
the  doctrines  of  the  immortality  of  the  soul,  the 
resurrection  of  the  body,  the  general  judgment,  and 
eternal  rewards  and  punishments  in  heaven  and 
hell, — these  are  the  great  outlines  of  the  system, 
and  at  the  same  time  it  is  brief  and  comprehensive. 
It  omits,  among  other  things  which  are  merely  spec- 
ulative, the  old  doctrine  of  predestination  of  individ- 
uals to  life  and  death,  on  the  one  hand  ;  and,  on  the 
other  hand,  Arianism,  and  Socinianism,  and  Pelagi- 
anism,  and  Unitarianism,  and  Swedenborgianism,  and 
Universalism,  and  Mormonism,  and  all  similar  forms 
of  semi-infidelity.  Now,  the  Churches  formerly  called 
orthodox,  but  now  more  generally  called  evangel- 
ical, embrace  in  their  creeds  the  five  points  of  Cal- 
vinism, namely  :  Total  Depravity,  Particular  Election, 
Partial  Redemption,  Effectual  Calling,  Infallible  Per- 
severance. And,  fifty  years  ago,  the  Church  that  did 
not  subscribe  to  these  points  of  doctrine  was  scarcely 
recognized  as  a  Church  of  God. 

"But  Methodism  came  along,  and  shed  light  upon 


SEMI-CENTENNIAL  SERMON.  34 1 

these  dark  points.  She  presented  her  five  points, 
which  we  think  are  better  than  theirs  ;  namely, 
first,  all  men  are  sinners  ;  second,  all  men  are  re- 
deemed ;  third,  all  men  are  called  ;  fourth,  as  many 
as  obey  the  call  are  chosen  ;  fifth,  of  those  chosen, 
such  as  endure  to  the  end  shall  be  saved. 

"We  do  not  propose  to  discuss  any  of  these  five 
points  of  either  system  ;  but  we  name  them  only  to 
reach  general  results.  And  we  say  that  Methodist 
doctrine  has  fixed  a  deep  and  lasting  and  general 
impression  upon  the  Protestant  Christianity  of  the 
times,  and  has  greatly  modified  the  views  of  other 
branches  of  the  Christian  Church.  Allow  us  here 
to  inquire,  Do  you  know  any  Church,  in  these  days, 
in  which  the  five  points  of  Calvinism  are  plainly  and 
pointedly  and  fully  taught  ?  If  you  do,  you  know 
more  than  we  do.  But,  on  the  other  hand,  the  five 
points  of  Methodism,  in  substance,  are  preached  in 
most  of  the  evangelical  Churches  ;  and  the  people 
joyfully  receive  them,  and  subscribe  to  them  gen- 
erally. 

"  II.  The  Spirit  of  Methodism  is  the  Spirit 
of  Revival. 

"That  is,  the  spirit  of  reanimation.  To  revive  is 
to  reanimate,  to  bring  to  life  that  which  was  dead. 
A  state  of  sin  and  unbelief  is  a  state  of  spiritual 
death  ;  but  a  state  of  faith  and  salvation  is  a  state 
of  spiritual  life.  And,  hence,  the  apostle  to  the 
Ephesians  said,  'And  you  hath  he  quickened/ 
brought  to  life,  '  who  were  dead  in  trespasses  and 
sins/  And  again:  'The  law  of  the  spirit  of  life  in 
Christ  Jesus  hath  made  me  free  from  the  law  of  sin 


342  LIFE    OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

and  death.'  But,  brethren,  when  we  speak  of  revival 
in  this  connection,  we  have  no  reference  to  the  re- 
vival of  dogmas  and  rituals,  but  to  a  revival  in  the 
sense  of  spiritual  life.  And,  in  this  regard,  Method- 
ism has  taken  an  advanced  position,  and  is  leading 
on  the  sacramental  host  of  God's  elect. 

"Before  we  had  the  light  of  Methodism,  if  a  man 
spoke  of  knowing  that  his  sins  were  forgiven,  he  was 
called  ignorant,  deluded,  and  fanatical.  But  now 
there  are  thousands  who  can  bear  witness  to  this 
truth  without  fear.  Before  the  light  of  Methodism 
dawned  upon  the  Churches,  you  might  have  selected 
many  who  were  regarded  as  good  men  from  those 
denominations  deemed  orthodox ;  but  what  could 
they  tell  about  their  religious  experience?  They 
usually  said,  when  questioned  upon  this  subject,  If  I 
was  converted,  it  was  because  I  could  not  help  it  ; 
if  I  enjoy  religion,  I  do  not  know  it;  if  I  have  it,  I 
can  not  lose  it  ;  and  if  I  lose  it,  I  never  had  it. 
This  was  about  the  sum  and  substance  of  their  re- 
ligious experience.  But  it  is  not  so  now,  brethren. 
There  are  multitudes  of  men,  not  only  in  our  own 
Church,  but  in  all  the  evangelical  Churches,  who  can 
give  a  clear  and  Scriptural  account  of  their  conver- 
sion. Most  of  them  can  tell  you  the  time  when,  the 
place  where,  and  the  circumstances  under  which,  they 
passed  from  death  to  life.  They  will  inform  you  that 
they  were  converted,  not  because  they  could  not 
help  it,  but.  when  they  desired  this  great  blessing. 
When  they  earnestly  prayed  to  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  to  bestow  it  upon  them,  they  received  it ;  and, 
having  now  obtained  it,  they  can   say:   'Whereas  I 


SEMI-CENTENNIAL  SERMON.  343 

was  blind,  I  now  see;'  'We  know  that  we  have 
passed  from  death  unto  life,  because  we  love  the 
brethren  ;'  '  He  that  believeth  on  the  Son  of  God 
hath  the  witness  in  himself.'  Because  they  are  sons, 
they  can  say,  'God  hath  sent  forth  the  Spirit  of  his 
Son  into  our  hearts,  crying,  Abba,  Father!'  and  that 
'the  Spirit  itself  beareth  with  our  spirit  that  we  are 
the  children  of  God.'  Here,  then,  is  advancement  in 
the  spirit  of  revivals,  and  we  rejoice  in  it. 

"III.  The  Spirit  of  Methodism  is  the  Spirit 
of  Enterprise. 

"  We  did  not  wait  for  the  people  to  become 
Christians,  and  to  organize  themselves  into  Churches, 
and  to  erect  houses  of  worship,  and  then  call  us  to 
their  pulpits  ;  but  we  went  out  into  the  highways 
and  hedges,  into  destitute  places,  both  in  the  rural 
districts  and  the  suburbs  of  cities.  We  went  not 
only  where  Christ  was  named ;  but  we  went  to  the 
regions  beyond,  and  pointed  sinners  to  the  Lamb  of 
God  that  taketh  away  the  sins  of  the  world,  and 
warned  them  to  flee  the  wrath  to : come.  The  Word 
took  powerful  effect.  We  saw  streams  of  water 
break  forth  in  the  dry  places,  and  the  wilderness 
blossom  as  the  rose.  There  was  a  terrible  shaking 
among  the  dry  bones,  and  they  became  covered 
with  sinews  and  flesh,  and  lived  ;  and,  in  thousands 
of  instances,  they  who  were  not  a  people  became  the 
people  of  the  Lord.  We  tried  to  execute  upon  the 
broadest  practicable  scale  the  great  commission  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  'Go  ye  into  all  the  world, 
and  preach  the  Gospel  to  every  creature.'     . 

"  In    order   the  better   to   do    tliis,  we   formed  as 


344  LIFE   0F  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

many  congregations  as  possible,  and  called  them  cir- 
cuits ;  and  sent  out  laborers  two  by  two,  as  Christ 
sent  out  his  disciples.  One  was  the  preacher  in 
charge,  and  the  other  was  his  colaborer  and  assistant. 
The  circuit  usually  consisted  of  from  twenty-four  to 
forty  congregations. 

"  The  first  three  circuits  which  I  traveled  em- 
braced from  twenty-eight  to  forty  appointments,  all 
of  which  were  to  be  reached  every  twenty-eight 
days.  To  do  this  required  a  journey  of  at  least 
three  hundred  miles  on  each  of  these  circuits;  and 
this  journey  was  not  performed  by  railroad,  nor  in 
the  mail-coach,  nor  in 'the  private  carriage,  gliding 
smoothly  over  the  graveled  pike,  but  upon  horse- 
back, and  over  roads  that  would  now  be  generally 
regarded  as  almost  impassable  ;  and  yet,  so  far  were 
we  from  curtailing  these  plans  and  endeavoring  to 
relieve  ourselves  of  these  burdens,  we  were  continu- 
ally on  the  lookout  for  chances  to  enlarge  our  work. 
If  we  heard  of  any  neighborhood  that  was  destitute 
of  the  Gospel,  we  went  directly  to  it  and  talked  with 
the  people  ;  and,  if  one  man  in  the  settlement  would 
open  his  house  for  preaching,  we  made  it  an  appoint- 
ment, and  the  next  time  we  came  around  we  were 
there.  When  we  had  an  appointment  we  filled  it  ; 
not  if  it  was  conve7iient,  or  if  the  weather  was  pleas- 
ant, and  we  could  do  it  without  sacrifice,  but  always, 
unless  providential  circumstances,  over  which  we  had 
no  control,  prevented  us.  If  we  wanted  to  gather  a 
congregation,  we  had  to  be  punctual  ;  and  if  we 
wanted  to  hold  a  congregation,  we  could  not  disap- 
point  them.      When    the  streams   were   swollen,  we 


SEMI-CENTENNIAL  SERMON.  345 

sometimes  found  great  difficulty  in  crossing  them. 
If  we  could  find  a  bridge  or  a  boat,  it  was  well  ;  but 
if  we  could  not,  we  committed  ourselves  to  Prov- 
idence, and,  plunging  in  with  our  horse,  forded  or 
swam  the  stream.  This  is  what  we  mean  by  the 
spirit  of  enterprise. 

"  IV.  The  Spirit  of  Methodism  is  the  Spirit 
of  Sacrifice. 

"  Ours  was  a  citizen  ministry,  called  forth  from 
different  avocations.  Some  were  lawyers,  some  phy- 
sicians, some  teachers,  some  mechanics,  some  mer- 
chants, and  some  were  farmers,  who  were  converted 
and  called  of  God  to  the  work  of  the  ministry. 
They  were  received  and  educated,  not  for  the  minis- 
try, but  in  the  ministry;  and  connected  the  study 
and  practice  of  theology  together.  These  men,  com- 
ing from  the  people,  were  sent  back  to  the  people,  to 
preach,  not  the  technicalities  of  the  schools,  but  the 
Gospel  of  the  grace  of  God,  in  plain,  unvarnished 
language,  which  the  people  well  understood  ;  and  the 
effect  was  glorious. 

"  But  where  was  the  sacrifice?  asks  one.  I  an- 
swer, They  sacrificed,  first,  their  secular  calling. 
Whatever  they  depended  upon  for  the  support  of  their 
families  they  relinquished,  whether  it  was  commerce 
or  law  or  agriculture,  or  whatever  it  may  have  been. 
They  had  to  promise  to  devote  themselves  wholly  to 
God  and  his  work. 

11  In  the  next  place,  they  were  called  upon  to 
sacrifice  their  homes.  We  do  not  say  their  homes 
were  spacious  or  elegant ;  but  they  were  homes  nev- 
ertheless, and  contained  all  of  earth  that  was  dear  to 


346  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

them  ;  and,  much  or  little,  they  had  to  be  sacrificed 
for  this  itinerant  ministry,  and  we  became  pilgrims 
and  sojourners,  as  all  our  fathers  were.  And  all  this 
under  the  old  quarterage  rule,  with  small  prospect 
of  a  support. 

"No  provision  was  made  for  houses  for  the  preach- 
ers. There  was  no  estimate  for  family  expenses,  and 
ho  claim  was  recognized  but  the  quarterage  claim, 
and  we  were  fortunate  if  half  of  that  was  received. 

"For  the  first  twelve  years  of  my  itinerant  min- 
istry, with  my  wife  and  two  children,  I  kept  an  exact 
account  of  my  expenses  and  receipts,  and  the  con- 
trolling rule  with  us  was,  not  to  buy  what  we  wanted, 
but  only  what  we  could  not  do  without.  I  credited 
the  Church  not  only  what  I  received  from  the  stew- 
ards, but  also  all  I  received  for  marriage-fees  and  in 
private  presents.  At  the  end  of  the  twelve  years  I 
struck  the  average,  and  found  that  during  that  time 
I  had  received  one  hundred  and  sixty-six  dollars, 
sixty-six  and  two-third  cents  per  annum.  With  this 
I  had  to  buy  horses,  pay  house-rent,  meet  all  expense 
of  feeding,  clothing,  and  educating  the  children,  and 
pay  all  our  charities  ;  that  is  to  say,  in  so  far  as  these 
receipts  came  shorty  of  meeting  our  bills,  the  balance 
came  out  of  our  private  means.  We  say,  then,  that 
the  spirit  of  Methodism  is  the  spirit  of  sacrifice. 

"V.  The  Spirit  of- Methodism  is  the  Spirit 
of  Progress. 

"I  allude  more  particularly  in  this  to  numerical 
progress.  When  I  joined  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church,  in  18 1 3,  the  aggregate  of  her  communicants 
in  all  the  States  and  territories  and  in  Upper  Canada, 


SEMI-CENTENNIAL  SERMON.  347 

and  upon  the  whole  Continent  of  America,  was  less 
than  one  quarter  of  a  million.  I  think  it  was  about 
two  hundred  and  thirty-six  thousand.  Now  our  or- 
ganization proper,  after  deducting  our  brethren  in 
Canada,  who  left  us  quietly  and  for  good  reasons 
connected  with  their  civil  institutions  ;  and  the  Prot- 
estant Methodists,  who  left  us  for  reasons  satisfactory 
to  themselves;  and  the  'True  Wesleyan '  organiza- 
tion, who  left  us  on  account  of  slavery  ;  and  our 
brethren  in  the  South,  who  left  us  on  account  of  the 
'irrepressible  conflict,'  and  who  took  away  nearly 
two  thousand  preachers  and  near  a  half-million  of 
members, — after  deducting  all  these,  we  have  now, 
in  our  own  organization,  a  fraction  less  than  one  mill- 
ion. Then  we  have  a  little  problem  for  the  mathe- 
matician :  If  one  quarter  of  a  million  of  Methodists 
produced  during  the  past  fifty  years  one  million  of 
members,  what  will  one  million  produce  in  fifty  years 
to  come?  The  answer  is,  four  millions.  But  this  is 
only  a  part  of  the  question,  as  you  will  perceive  ;  for 
the  quarter  of  a  million  of  fifty  years  ago  was  the 
nucleus  not  only  of  our  own  denomination,  but  of 
all  the  Methodist  organizations  upon  the  continent, 
which  now,  taken  with  our  own  denomination,  will 
probably  approximate  two  millions.  This  taken  into 
consideration,  the  question  will  assume  this  form  : 
If  a  quarter  of  a  million  in  -fifty  years  has  produced 
two  millions,  what  will  two  millions  produce  in  fifty 
years  to  come  ?     The  answer  is,  sixteen  millions. 

"  '  But,  pray,'  says  one,  '  how  do  you  know  that 
this  win  be  so  ?'  I  answer,  I  did  not  say  that  we 
know  it  will ;  but  in   this  calculation    we   follow   the 


348  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

example  of  the  statesmen,  who  will  take  the  official 
record  or  census,  and,  ascertaining  what  was  the 
population  at  a  given  time,  will  compute  the  in- 
crease for  each  decade,  and  tell  you  what  popula- 
tion may  be  expected,  say  at  the  end  of  the  century. 
Now,  what  we  claim  is,  that  our  figures  are  just  as 
reliable  as  theirs;  and  if  they  can  give  the  proximate 
number  of  the  population,  we  can  do  the  same  of 
Methodism. 

"VI.  The  Spirit  of  Methodism  is  the  Spirit 
of  Improvement. 

"I  know  of  no  better  word  to  cover  the  numerous 
items  I  wish  to  name.  For  example,  the  general 
style  of  living  among  our  people  has  greatly  changed. 
I  know  most  about  the  Western  States,  where  I  was 
born  and  brought  up,  and  from  whence  I  have  hailed 
for  seventy  years;  and  I  speak  that  I  do  know,  and 
testify  that  I  have  seen,  when  I  say  that,  fifty  years 
ago,  in  all  the  Western  States,  our  people,  as  a  gen- 
eral thing,  lived  in  log-cabins  of  rude  construction, 
with  clapboard  roof  and  puncheon  floors.  These  cab- 
ins generally  had  but  one  apartment,  which  answered 
for  kitchen  and  dining-room,  sitting-room  and  parlor, 
library  and  dormitory,  class-room  and  chapel.  I  have 
gone  into  the  loft  of  these  cabins  many  times  in  the 
severest  Winter  weather,  where  there  was  no  fire, 
and  slept  with  nothing  overhead  but  the  thin  roof, 
and  a  few  logs  around  me,  with  large  openings 
between  them,  and  with  the  covering  very  scant,  and 
have  often  arisen  in  the  morning  to  find  my  bed  cov- 
ered with  snow.  I  have,  in  many  instances,  taken 
my  pillow  and  placed  it  across  my  feet,  and  placed 


SEMI-CENTENNIAL  SERMON  349 

my  coat  over  that,  not  merely  to  prevent  suffering 
from  cold,  but  to  keep  from  freezing  stiff.  Now  our 
people  live  in  large  and  commodious  houses,  conven- 
iently arranged  and  well  furnished.  When  we  look 
back  fifty  years  to  our  puncheon  floors  and  clapboard 
roofs,  tin  cups  and  pewter  plates  and  spoons,  and  then 
look  at  the  carpets  and  side-boards  and  cushioned 
chairs  and  silver  tea-sets  which  we  now  have,  we 
hardly  know  ourselves;  yet  our  consciousness  tells  us 
that  we  are  the  same  people,  though  under  different 
circumstances. 

"  How  was  it  with  regard  to  our  churches  ?  There 
were  none  hardly  deserving  the  name;  and  what  we 
had  were  mostly  built  of  logs,  and  these  were  Mike 
angels'  visits,  few  and  far  between.'  Now  we  have 
as  many  and  as  comfortable  churches  as  any  denom- 
ination in  the  land.  Indeed,  the  statistics  of  the 
census  credit  us  with  more  money  invested  in  church 
property  than  any  other  denomination.  How  about 
our  Sunday-schools?  I  answer,  fifty  years  ago  we  had 
none.  It  may  seem  strange  to  you,  but  it  is  true  as 
preaching,  that  I  had  been  a  traveling  preacher  four 
years  before  I  had  seen  a  Sunday-school.  The  first 
I  saw  was  at  Zanesville,  Ohio,  and  was  in  connection 
with  a  Presbyterian  Church.  I  visited  it,  and  thought 
it  a  good  thing ;  and,  as  we  had  none,  I  took  my 
little  daughter,  now  in  heaven,  and  led  her  to  the 
superintendent,  who  kindly  welcomed  her  to  the 
school.  Now  we  have  these  schools  by  thousands, 
teachers  by  tens  of  thousands,  and  scholars  by  hun- 
dreds of  thousands.  But  how  about  our  tracts  in 
those  days?     I  answer,  we  had  none,  or  next  to  none. 


350  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

Now  they  are  scattered  broadcast  through  all  the 
land. 

"  How  about  our  periodicals  ?  I  answer,  we  had 
none.  Now  we  have  many,  and  our  religious  weeklies 
are  scattered  from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific.  Then 
we  had  but  few  books,  except  such  as  were  imported 
from  England  ;  but  now  we  are  not  ashamed  to  com- 
pare our  Methodist  Book  Concern  with  any  publish- 
ing-house in  America. 

"  How  about  our  educational  institutions  ?  I 
answer,  we  had  no  public  institutions  of  learning. 
Private  members  may  have  taught  private  schools, 
but  we  had  no  schools  under  the  control  of  the 
Church.  Now  we  have  about  thirty  colleges  for 
young  men,  two  Biblical  institutions  for  young  min- 
isters, while  of  seminaries  and  academies  we  have 
more  than  a  hundred. 

"But  what  about  our  missionary  cause?  I  an- 
swer, we  had  no  missionary  society  in  those  days. 
In  regard  to  this,  I  beg  a  little  indulgence,  and  to  be 
heard  with  some  degree  of  particularity.  When  I 
was  on  the  Marietta  Circuit,  from  1816  to  18 18,  I 
had  in  my  society,  in  Marietta,  a  colored  man  by -the 
name  of  Stewart.  He  was  an  exemplary  man,  and 
prayed  in  our  prayer-meetings.  He  was  industrious 
and  economical,  and  had  earned  the  means  to  buy 
good  clothes,  a  horse  and  saddle,  and  had  pocket- 
money  besides. 

"In  the  Fall  of  18 17  he  suddenly  and  mysteri- 
ously disappeared.  He  was  not  in  debt  or  in  trouble, 
that  we  knew  of,  and  we  could  not,  in  any  way, 
account  for  his  disappearance.    •  Early  next  Spring  he 


SEMI-CENTENNIAL  SERMON.  35  I 

returned,  and  came  straight  to  my  house,  and  gave 
an  account  of  himself  during  his  absence.  In  the 
Fall  of  18 1 7  it  was  impressed  upon  his  mind  that  it 
was  His  duty  to  go  in  a  north-west  direction  from 
Marietta,  and  deliver  a  message  to  some  people,  he 
knew  not  to  whom.  At  first  he  tried  to  shake  off  the 
impression  ;  but,  failing  in  this,  he  mounted  his  horse 
and  started.  He  went  on  until  he  reached  the  Wyan- 
dot Indians,  at  Upper  Sandusky,  in  Ohio,  when  he 
said  at  once  this  was  the  people  to  whom  he  was  sent. 
He  went  straight  to  the  Indian  agent  and  told  him 
he  had  a  message  from  God  to  the  Indians.  The 
agent,  as  was  very  proper,  demanded  his  credentials; 
but  he  had  none,  as  he  was  only  a  private  member 
of  the  Church,  and  had  not  even  his  certificate  of 
membership  with  him.  Of  course,  he  received  no 
encouragement  from  the  agent  ;  but  he  went  to  the 
Indians  and  talked  to  them  privately,  and  they  agreed 
that  he  might  address  as  many  as  would  come 
together.  Several  came  together  in  one  of  their  wig- 
wams, and  among  them,  another  colored  man.  His 
name  was  Jonathan  Pointer,  and  he  had  formerly 
lived  with  my  uncle  on  the  Big  Kanawha  River,  and 
was  captured  in  childhood  by  the  Indians,  and  had 
learned  the  Wyandot  language.  He  served  as  Stew- 
art's interpreter,  and  while  he  talked  the  Indians 
wept.  And  when  he  was  through,  they  came  around 
him  and  said,  'Preach  morel  and  he  did  so,  and  an 
adjoining  Quarterly  Conference  took  cognizance  of 
him,  and  licensed  him  to  preach,  and,  by  the  blessing 
of  God,  he  had  a  great  revival  among  the  Indians. 
"At  the  session  of  the  Ohio  Conference  at  Steu- 


352  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

benville,  in  1818,  a  report  of  Stewart's  revival  among 
the  Indians  was  presented,  and  Bishop  M'Kendree, 
who  was  there,  said,  ■  We  must  have  a  mission  among 
the  Wyandots.'  But  the  question  was,  Where  shall 
the  money  come  from  ?  We  had  no  flowing  treasury, 
but  the  brethren  said,  We  will  raise  the  money  here, 
and  now.  We  raised  the  money  entirely  among  the 
preachers ;  for  we  then  sat  with  closed  doors.  Some 
gave  five,  and  some  ten  dollars  ;  and  in  a  few  mo- 
ments money  enough  was  raised  to  send  a  missionary 
to  the  Wyandots.  In  the  Spring  of  18 19,  the  news 
of  these  things  had  reached  New  York,  and  the 
brethren  there  formed  the  Missionary  Society  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  They  formed  it  upon 
a  good  and  broad  basis,  making  all  the  annual  con- 
ferences auxiliary  societies.  When  the  Ohio  Con- 
ference met  at  Cincinnati,  in  1819,  it  approved  the 
organization  of  the  Missionary  Society,  and  ordered 
collections  to  be  taken  in  the  several  charges.  And  at 
Chillicothe,  in  1820,  they  had  a  report  of  the  moneys 
raised  for  the  missionary  cause,  and  I  recollect  that 
a  member  inquired,  'What  shall  we  do  with  this  mis- 
sionary money?'  After  some  discussion,  it  was  voted 
that  T.  A.  Morris  be  appointed  to  receive  it  and  for- 
ward it  to  New  York.  This  gave  me  an  opportunity 
to  know  how  much  there  was  of  it.  Let  it  be  re- 
membered that  the  Ohio  Conference  then  embraced 
the  whole  of  the  States  of  Ohio  and  Michigan,  as 
well  as  parts  of  Indiana,  Virginia,  and  Kentucky. 
From  all  this  region  the  contributions  for  the  mis- 
sionary cause  were  to  be  aggregated,  and  all  came 
into  my  hands;    and   what   do   you  suppose  was  the 


SEMI-CENTENNIAL  SERMON.  353 

amount?  It  was  nineteen  dollars,  and  a  fraction  over. 
Now,  compare  this  with  the  present,  and  behold 
the  difference!  In  1863,  the  treasurer  of  our  Mis- 
sionary Society  received  over  four  hundred  thousand 
dollars  ;  and,  my  brethren,  I  shall  be  greatly  disap- 
pointed and  excessively  mortified  if,  in  1864,  our  con- 
tributions do  not  reach  half  a  million  dollars.  That 
is  the  lowest  amount  that  will  sustain  the  missionary 
work  now  undertaken. 

"VII.  The  Spirit  of  Methodism  is  the  Spirit 
of  Loyalty  to  the  Civil  Government. 

"It  is  the  doctrine  of  our  Church  and  of  the 
Scriptures,  that  we  should  revere  and  submit  our- 
selves to  the  civil  authority.  This  is  in  our  Articles 
of  Religion.  It  was  put  there  in  the  year  1784, 
when  the  Church  was  first  organized,  and  there  it 
stands,  as  a  monument  of  our  loyalty,  to  this  hour. 
But  we  are  taught  this  duty  by  higher  than  human 
authority.  Paul  says:  'Let  every  soul  be  subject 
unto  the  higher  powers.  For  there  is  no  power  but 
of  God ;  the  powers  that  be  are  ordained  of  God. 
Whoever,  therefore,  resisteth  the  power  resisteth  the 
ordinance  of  God  :  and  they  that  resist  shall  receive 
to  themselves  damnation.'  Now,  if  we  understand 
the  teaching  of  the  Holy  Scriptures,  rebellion  is  a 
crime  of  a  high  order,  one  expressly  forbidden  by  the 
Word  of  God  ;  and  any  man  who  is  guilty  of  it 
deserves  to  be  expelled  from  the  Church  of  Christ. 

"VIII.  The  Spirit  of  Methodism  is  the  Spirit 
of  Patriotism. 

"After  the  Southern  Rebellion  had  developed 
itself  in  such  magnitude  that  our  President  became 

3° 


354  MFE  OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

satisfied  that  there  was  not  power  enough  in  the 
army,  as  it  then  existed,  to  put  it  down,  he  called  for 
volunteers.  And  who  responded  ?  I  answer  that, 
so  far  as  we  know,  all  Churches  did  nobly  ;  but  it  is 
true,  nevertheless,  that  we  have  more  than  any  other 
denomination  who  are  in  the  service  of  our  country. 
We  have  at  least  one  hundred  thousand  Church 
members  who  have  been  mustered  into  the  service 
of  the  United  States.  And  many  of  our  preachers, 
also,  have  gone — some  as  privates,  some  as  captains, 
and  a  great  many  as  chaplains ;  probably  twice  as 
many  as  from  other  denominations.  There  are  three 
members  of  this  General  Conference,  regular  ministers, 
who  have  done  service  for  their  country  as  colonels, 
moving  at  the  head  of  their  regiments  amid  showers 
of  leaden  and  iron  hail,  leading  the  van  of  the  host, 
amid  the  shouting  and  tumult  of  battle.  These  are 
unfailing  indications  that  the  spirit  of  Methodism  is 
the  spirit  of  patriotism. 

"IX.  The  Spirit  of  Methodism  is  the  Spirit 
of  Liberty. 

"  I  do  not  mean  liberty  for  a  man  to  do  what  he 
pleases  without  answering  to  any  body.  We  do  not 
mean,  either,  liberty  for  a  man  to  do  what  he  pleases 
with  the  rights  of  other  men  with  impunity  ;  but  we 
mean  the  spirit  of  liberty,  in  opposition  to  slavery. 
Slavery  has  been  the  great  difficulty  and  bone  of 
contention  for  years.  It  has  divided  our  Church, 
and  now  it  seeks  to  divide  the  country.  We  have 
had,  for  years,  this  standing  question  in  our  Disci- 
pline, 'What  shall  be  done  for  the  extirpation  of  the 
great  evil  of  slavery?'    but  we  could  not  answer  the 


SEMI-CENTENNIAL  SERMON.  355 

question.  Philosophers  tried,  and  were  bewildered  ; 
statesmen  tried,  but  were  overwhelmed  and  con- 
founded ;  ecclesiastical  bodies  sought  its  answer,  but 
found  dismay  and  failure  ;  but  God  has  interposed, 
and  furnished  the  answer  in  the  present  war  for  the 
Union. 

'■  The  leaders  of  the  Rebellion  in  the  South, 
while  fighting  for  slavery,  have  done  more  for  its 
extirpation,  in  the  last  three  years,  than  Congress 
and  all  the  State  Legislatures  could  do  in  thirty 
years  ;  and  although  slavery  has  not  been  extirpated, 
it  is  prostrate  and  bleeding,  and  has  received  a  blow 
from  which  it  can  never  recover.  It  has  already 
upon  its  brow  the  cold  sweat  of  death  ;  and  we  pray 
that  it  may  speedily  give  up  the  ghost ! 

"  X.  The  Spirit  of  Methodism  is  the  Spirit 
of  Liberality. 

u  Now,  whoever  supposes  (and  some  have  so  sup- 
posed) that  the  Methodist  polity  is  a  narrow  and 
contracted  one,  and  who  publishes  that  supposition, 
simply  proves  that  he  knows  not  what  he  says,  nor 
whereof  he  affirms.  When  were  ever  the  plans  and 
operations  of  Methodism  contracted  ?  Our  illustrious 
founder  took  the  world  for  his  parish,  and  we  are 
trying  to  follow  his  example.  We  never  have  seen 
the  day  when  we  did  not  preach  free  grace  and  a  free 
communion  ;  and  what  Church  has  done  or  could 
have  done  more?  We  pray,  with  the  apostle,  'Grace 
be  with  all  them  that  love  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  in 
sincerity!'  We  cordially  believe,  with  Paul,  that  'it 
is  a  faithful  saying,  and  worthy  of  all  acceptation, 
that    Christ    Jesus    came    into    the    world    to    save 


356  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

sinners,'  even  the  very  chief  of  sinners.  We  believe 
that  Methodism  will  live  to  accomplish  its  grand 
mission,  to  spread  Scriptural  holiness  over  these  and 
all  lands.  Some  have  said  that  the  world  is  soon 
coming  to  an  end  ;  and  some  have  gone  so  far  as 
to  fix  the  year  and  the  day  ;  but,  thank  God !  the 
world  still  moves,  and  we  believe  that  many  things 
will  come  to  pass  before  the  end  comes.  One  thing 
is,  that  the  Word  will  be  preached  to  all  nations. 
We  believe,  also,  that  the  Southern  Rebellion  will  be 
crushed,  slavery  abolished,  the  Union  of  the  States 
restored,  a  permanent  peace  established  ;  and  last, 
though  not  least,  after  all  this,  we  shall  have  such  a 
revival  of  the  work  of  God  as  the  world  has  never 
seen.  We  have  the  dawning  of  this  glorious  day 
already;  and  we  believe  the  sun  will  soon  arise  in 
full  splendor,  and  from  every  hill  and  valley  go  up 
the  shout,  '  Halleluiah  !  the  Lord  God  Omnipotent 
reigneth  !' " 


GENERAL  CONFERENCE,  1868.  357 


CHAPTER  XV. 

j  SUPERANNUATION — CLOSING    YEARS     OF     LIFE — DEATH    AND 

FUNERAL    SERVICES. 
» 

BISHOP  MORRIS  returned  from  the  General 
Conference  of  1864  to  his  home  in  Springfield, 
Ohio,  in  comfortable  health,  but  physically  unable  to 
take  part  with  his  colleagues  in  the  active  work  of 
the  Episcopacy.  He  remained  during  the  next  quad- 
rennium  in  the  forced  retirement  which  his  health 
absolutely  demanded.  But  in  May,  1868,  we  find 
him  at  the  seat  of  another  General  Conference — 
Chicago — and  assisting  in  the  opening  exercises  of 
that  occasion.  He  called  the  body  to  order,  and 
directed  the  secretary  of  the  last  General  Conference 
to  call  the  roll.  When  that  was  done,  Bishop  Morris 
said,  in  substance: 

"  This  is  the  twelfth  General  Conference,  in  reg- 
ular, consecutive  order,  at  which  I  have  been  pres- 
ent—at four  as  a  delegate,  and  at  eight  as  a  bishop; 
and  I  have  no  recollection  of  ever  hearing  so  many 
delegates  answer  to  their  names  on  the  first  day  of 
any  session  as  at  this." 

Besides  Bishop  Morris,  Bishops  Janes,  Scott, 
Simpson,  Ames,  Clark,  Thomson,  and  Kingsley  were 
present  at  the  opening  of  this  General  Conference. 


358  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

Bishop  Baker  was  detained  by  ill  health,  but  was 
present  after  the  first  week. 

A  correspondent  of  the  Cincinnati  Gazette,  de- 
scribing the  bishops  as  they  sat  together  on  the  plat- 
form, says  of  the  senior:  "The  central  figure  of  the 
group  is  the  venerable  Bishop  Morris,  once  and  for 
many  years  a  resident  of  Cincinnati.  His  portly 
mien,  placid  countenance,  imperturbable  equanimity, 
and  rare  good  sense,  are  as  noticeable  in  his  old  age 
as  at  any  former  period  of  his  long,  laborious,  and 
glorious  life." 

Although  not  able  to  preside  often  over  the  ses- 
sions of  this  General  Conference,  Bishop  Morris  was 
seldom  absent  from  his  seat  among  his  colleagues, 
and  was  an  attentive  and  deeply-interested  listener 
to  the  proceedings.  The  first  question  which  elicited 
much  interest  or  discussion  was  on  the  admission  of 
provisional  delegates,  who  had  been  sent  up  as  repre- 
sentatives of  mission  conferences,  organized  mainly 
in  the  South,  under  a  special  provision  of  former 
General  Conferences.  The  debate  on  this  question 
was  exceedingly  animated  and  able,  and  while  the 
legal  arguments  were  very  clear  and  strong  against 
the  constitutionality  of  the  proposed  measure,  yet 
the  argumentum  ad  hominem  on  the  opposite  side 
was  still  stronger,  and  the  provisional  delegates  were 
admitted  to  seats  as  members  of  the  Conference  by 
an  immense  majority. 

The  next  question  of  general  interest  was  the 
subject  of  Lay  Delegation.  The  General  Conference 
of  i860  had  submitted  this  question  to  a  vote  of  the 
male  membership,  and   it  had  been   lost   by  a   large 


BIR  THDA  Y  CEL  EBRA  TION.  359 

majority.  In  the  mean  time,  however,  the  subject 
continued  to  be  agitated.  The  Methodist,  an  inde- 
pendent paper  published  in  New  York,  advocated  the 
measure  with  great  zeal  and  ability,  but  several  of 
the  Advocates  were  scarcely  less  earnest  and  no  less 
able  in  promoting  the  measure.  Evidently  a  great 
change  had  come  over  the  Church  in  regard  to  this 
question  since  the  negative  vote  a  few  years  before. 
The  subject  was  now  brought  before  the  General 
Conference  by  a  large  number  of  petitions,  of  which 
an  overwhelming  majority  were  in  favor  of  lay  repre- 
sentation. The  discussion  was  long,  warm,  and  elo- 
quent on  both  sides.  Bishop  Morris  took  no  part  in 
this  debate,  of  course  ;  but  he  had  openly  and  warmly 
espoused  the  cause  of  lay  delegation,  and  in  private 
conversation  advocated  it. 

The  final  action  of  this  General  Conference  was 
the  submission  of  a  plan  to  a  vote  of  the  people,  and 
then  to  the  annual  conferences.  The  result  was  an 
affirmative  vote  in  both  cases  by  decided  majorities, 
and  the  plan  was  consummated  at  the  ensuing  Gen- 
eral Conference,  held  in  Brooklyn,  in  1872. 

A  very  pleasant  episode  in  the  quiet  life  of  Bishop 
Morris,  during  this  quadrennium,  was  the  celebration 
of  his  seventy-sixth  birthday,  which  occurred  April 
28,  1870.  About  thirty  persons,  representing  various 
Churches  and  interests  were  present,  on  invitation  ; 
those  having  the  matter  in  charge  deeming  a  larger 
company  unadvisable,  owing  to  the  feeble  health 
of  Mrs.  Morris.  After  a  generous  lunch,  C.  M. 
Nichols,  Esq.,  Editor  of  the  Springfield  Republic, 
read  the  following  paper,  prepared  by  Bishop  Morris  : 


360  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

"BIRTHDAY    REFLFXTIONS. 

"I  was  born  in  Kanawha  County,  Virginia,  April 
28,  1794,  and  am  this  day  seventy-six  years  old. 
Unbroken  forests,  the  homes  of  wild  beasts  and 
scarcely  less  wild  and  savage  men,  have  disappeared 
before  the  march  of  civilization.  Where  once  stood 
the  log  meeting-house,  now  appears  the  spacious 
Church,  with  lofty  spire  pointing  heavenward.  In 
place  of  the  rude  wooden  school-house  of  former 
times,  we  have  now  the  amply  endowed  college. 
Where  we  once  traveled  on  horseback,  through  for- 
ests and  almost  impassable  roads,  we  now  go  at  our 
ease  in  palatial  cars,  at  the  rate  of  twenty-five  or 
thirty  miles  per  hour.  Once  our  homes  were  log 
huts ;  but  now  we  have  pleasant  houses,  well  furnished 
with  all  needed  conveniences  and  comforts.  The 
United  States  have  increased  in  population  from  three 
millions  to  thirty-five  millions,  and  from  thirteen  to 
thirty-seven  States ;  and  still  they  come. 

"Only  a  few  years  since,  millions  of  our  people 
were  slaves,  who  are  now  free  to  enjoy  life  and  engage 
in  the  pursuit  of  happiness,  equal  before  the  law  with 
others. 

"In  Church  matters  great  changes  have  taken 
place,  and  in  none  more  than  in  our  own  denomina- 
tion. When  I  was  born,  the  'Methodist  Episcopal 
Church  in  the  United  States  of  America'  was  ten 
years  old,  a  feeble  and  persecuted  band.  When  I 
joined  her  communion,  in  1813,  all  the  Methodists 
in  the  United  States  and  territories,  including  those 
of  Canada  West,  numbered  less  than  a  quarter  of  a 


SIR  TIIDA  V  REFLEC  TIOXS.  36 1 

million.  Now,  including  all  branches  of  Methodism, 
there  are,  in  the  above  limits,  between  two  and  three 
millions  of  communicants. 

"These  are  great  changes  to  occur  in  one  man's 
life-time  ;  and  yet  I  see  nothing  in  the  general  aspect 
of  affairs  to  warrant  the  anticipation  of  less  success 
in  the  future,  but  much  to  encourage  the  hope  of 
still  greater  prosperity.  We  are  better  provided  with 
churches  and  school-houses  than  heretofore,  and  are 
better  able  to  sustain  our  missions,  both  foreign  and 
domestic,  than  we  ever  were,  both  as  to  men  and 
means.  The  general  revivals  now  in  progress  will  be 
followed,  it  may  be  presumed,  by  greater  activity  in 
our  missionary  work. 

"It  is  true,  indeed,  that  depraved  human  nature 
remains  the  same,  amid  all  the  boasted  improvements 
of  the  times,  and  requires  the  same  power  to  renew  and 
control  it  as  formerly.  But  Jesus  is  'the  same,  yester- 
day, to-day,  and  forever.'  He  is  our  only  hope.  We 
are  fallen,  miserable,  and  helpless  ;  but  Christ  is  mighty 
to  save,  and  strong  to  deliver.     Let  us  look  to  him. 

"  I  have  attended  twelve  quadrennial  sessions  of 
the  General  Conference — four  as  a  delegate,  and  eight 
as  one  of  the  presiding  officers  ;  though  at  the  last 
one  I  was  little  more  than  an  interested  spectator. 
Whether  I  shall  ever  attend  another  is  very  uncer- 
tain ;  God  knoweth.  Two  of  my  beloved  colleagues, 
much  younger  and  stronger  than  myself,  have  quite 
recently  died  at  their  posts  of  duty  ;  they  rest  from 
their  labors,  and  their  works  do  follow  them.  May 
we  follow  Bishops  Thomson  and  Kingsley  as  they 
followed  Christ ! 

31 


$62  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

"  If  Methodists  prove  faithful  to  God  and  true  to 
their  trust,  they  will  accomplish  the  object  of  their 
mission,  which  is  to  spread  Scriptural  holiness  over 
these  lands.  Let  them  adhere  to  the  doctrines  and 
polity  of  Methodism — to  class-meetings,  love-feasts, 
congregational  singing,  free  sittings,  and,  above  all, 
cherish  the  experience  of  a  heart-felt  religion, — and 
ail  will  be  well.     Brethren,  pray  for  me. 

"Thomas  A.  Morris. 

11  Salubria,  April  28,  1870." 

At  the  close  of  the  reading  of  this  paper,  a  hymn 
was  sung  ;  after  which,  Hon.  E.  G.  Dial,  of  Spring- 
field, came  forward,  and  presented  the  bishop  an 
elegant  gold  watch,  the  gift  of  a  few  friends,  in  the 
following  words  : 

"  Dear  Bishop  Morris, — We  are  here  to-day, 
with  hearts  overflowing  with  kindly  feeling,  to  greet 
you.  You  have  experienced  the  joys  and  sorrows 
of  more  than  three-quarters  of  a  century  ;  and  we 
come  to  join  hearts  and  hands  with  you  and  your 
beloved  consort,  on  this  your  seventy-sixth  birthday. 
You  enjoy  at  least  usual  health  to-day.  You  have 
more  than  ordinary  elasticity  of  spirits  for  one  at  your 
time  of  life.  For  these  blessings  we  devoutly  thank 
God.  And,  now,  these  brethren — ministers  and  lay- 
men of  Springfield,  your  friends  and  neighbors — have 
directed  me  to  present  you,  as  a  token  of  their  love 
and  esteem,  this  beautiful  watch.  Their  affection 
for  you  and  your  wife  is  at  least  as  pure  as  this 
refined  gold.  Accept  it  in  the  spirit  in  which  it  is 
given.      It    will    keep   the  hours    for    you,    well    and 


MRS.  LUCY  MORRIS.  363 

truly,  until  angel  hands  shall  mark  you  the  time  on 
the  dial-plate  of  eternity." 

The  bishop  was  quite  surprised,  and  greatly  af- 
fected. He  briefly  and  touchingly  expressed  his 
gratitude  for  the  valuable  and  unexpected  gift. 

Mrs.  Morris  was  then  made  the  recipient  of  a 
handsome  present  at  the  hands  of  E.  C.  Middleton, 
Esq. ;  after  which,  the  venerable  Geo.  Brown,  D.  D., 
of  the  Methodist  Protestant  Church  ;  Rev.  A.  H. 
Bassett,  D.  D.,  of  the  same  Church  ;  Rev.  A. 
Lowrey,  D.  D.,  Presiding  Elder  of  Springfield  Dis- 
trict ;  Rev.  Reuben  Miller,  Rev.  J.  W.  Gunn,  and 
others, — were  called  out,  and  responded  in  very 
happy  remarks  and  reminiscences  of  the  past. 

These  somewhat  private  and  domestic  matters 
may  not  be  of  great  importance,  or  of  general  in- 
terest ;  and  yet,  after  all,  they  go  to  make  up  a 
faithful  history  of  a  public  life.  Though  taciturn  to 
a  fault  at  times,  there  was,  notwithstanding,  a  per- 
sonal magnetism  about  Bishop  Morris  which  at- 
tracted all  classes  to  him.  In  the  community  where 
he  last  resided- — Springfield,  Ohio — he  was  greatly 
beloved  by  all  denominations;  and  his  neighbors 
and  friends  embraced  every  suitable  occasion  to  give 
expression  to  the  high  regard  in  which  they  held  him. 

In  the  following  year — 1871 — Mrs.  Morris,  who 
had  long  been  an  invalid,  suffering  at  times  the  se- 
verest pains,  died  in  great  peace;  but  her  gain  was 
unspeakable  loss  to  her  husband.  In  a  communica- 
tion to  the  Western  Christian  Advocate,  soon  after 
this  bereavement,  Bishop  Morris  said: 

11  Lucy  Morris  was  born  in   South  Carolina,  May 


364  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

27,  1800.  She  was  converted  while  praying  in  secret, 
at  the  age  of  nine  years.  She  united  with  the  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  Church,  in  Louisville,  Kentucky,  in 
August,  1B19.  She  was  married  to  the  writer,  June 
25,  1844,  being  at  that  time  the  widow  of  Dr. 
Merriweather. 

"  During  her  illness,  which  was  long  and  severe, 
she  was  wonderfully  sustained  by  grace,  showing 
herself  resigned,  peaceful,  and  happy.  On  Thursday, 
October  5th,  she  received  a  signal  baptism  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  which  caused  her  to  rejoice  aloud  with 
all  her  remaining  strength.  She  said,  among  other 
things,  '  Last  night  I  was  so  happy  in  Jesus  that  my 
bed  was  made  to  feel  soft  as  downy  pillows.'  Sunday, 
November  5th,  was  her  last  Sabbath  on  earth,  which 
she  passed  in  the  company  of  her  family,  who  re- 
mained to  commune  and  worship  with  her  in  the 
sacred  sanctuary  of  home.  On  Monday  afternoon, 
November  6,  1871,  at  about  three  o'clock,  she  slept 
in  Jesus. 

"She  was  a  genial,  kind-hearted,  Christian  lady. 
She  was  scrupulously  honest.  Her  early  opportu- 
nities were  good,  for  the  times.  After  leaving  school, 
she  made  considerable  efforts  to  improve  her  knowl- 
edge. Her  favorite  study  was  history,  both  ancient 
and  modern  ;  but,  of  all  books,  she  preferred  the 
Bible,  which  she  read  daily.  She  became  well 
versed  in  the  Holy  Scriptures,  especially  the  histor- 
ical parts.  She  excelled  in  the  management  of 
household  affairs." 

Rev.  Dr.  Lowrey,  long  a  neighbor  and  friend  of 
the  family,  writing  of  Mrs.  Morris,  said  : 


DEATHS  IN  THE  Er  ISC  OPAL  RANKS.  365 

"She  will  be  remembered  as  a  cultivated  lady — 
comely  in  person,  graceful  in  manners,  gentle  and 
pleasing  in  address,  amiable  in  disposition,  refined  in 
feelings,  polite  in  social  intercourse,  prudent  and 
chaste  in  conversation,  generous  and  sympathetic  to 
all,  especially  to  the  needy.  As  a  Christian,  she  was 
sincere  and  profoundly  conscientious.  She  had  a 
rich  spiritual  experience." 

For  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  century  had  this 
excellent  lady  shared  the  itinerant  bishop's  lot.  She 
had  made  his  home  a  happy  retreat  from  the  cares 
of  the  world  and  the  perplexities  of  official  life — the 
abode  of  order,  quiet,  and  love.  It  was  therefore  a 
peculiarly  severe  blow,  now  in  old  age  and  feeble- 
ness, to  be  separated  from  one  whose  life  had  con- 
tributed so  much  to  the  comfort  and  happiness  of 
his  own. 

In  the  Spring  of  the  year  1872,  the  bishop,  with 
the  assistance  of  a  traveling  companion,  made  the 
journey  to  Brooklyn,  New  York,  where  the  Sixteenth 
Delegated  General  Conference  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church  assembled,  on  the  first  day  of 
May.  At  all  but  three  of  these  General  Conferences 
Bishop  Morris  was  present,  as  delegate  or  presiding 
officer.  And  although  he  performed  no  official  act 
at  the  last,  except  to  call  the  body  to  order  on  the 
first  day,  yet  he  was  seldom  absent  from  his  place 
on  the  platform,  and  was  a  deeply  interested  observer 
of  the  proceedings. 

During  the  quadrennium  now  closed,  death  had 
made  sad  havoc  in  the  ranks  of  the  Episcopacy. 
Four  of  these  honored  and  beloved  chief  pastors  of 


366  LIFE    OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

the  Church — Baker,  Clark,  Thomson,  and  Kingsley — 
had  fallen.  On  the  sixteenth  day  of  the  session, 
very  solemn  and  appropriate  services  were  held  in 
memory  of  the  lamented  dead.  The  opening  devo- 
tional exercises  were  conducted  by  Rev.  J.  M.  Reid, 
D.  D. ;  after  which,  Bishop  Simpson  read  brief 
sketches  of  the  lives  and  characters  of  the  deceased 
bishops. 

We  quote  the  closing  paragraphs  only  of  these 
sketches.  They  very  happily  bring  out  the  salient 
points  of  the  characters  described  : 

"  Bishop  Baker  was  a  man  of  deep  and  consistent 
piety,  of  unusually  quiet  and  modest  deportment,  a 
clear  thinker,  a  successful  teacher,  an  accurate  writer, 
a  sound  theologian,  a  good  preacher,  and,  as  a  bishop, 
careful  and  systematic  in  all  his  work.  For  his 
sweet  and  gentle  spirit  and  his  amiable  manners,  as 
well  as  for  his  learning  and  talent,  he  was  beloved 
by  a  large  circle  of  friends,  and  enjoyed  the  confi- 
dence and  esteem  of  the  Church.  He  died  at  Con- 
cord, New  Hampshire,  December  20,  1871,  in  the 
fifty-ninth  year  of  his  age. 

"  Bishop  Clark  was  a  man  of  decided  views,  and 
great  firmness  of  purpose.  As  a  preacher,  he  was 
able  and  successful.  His  sermons  were  carefully 
prepared,  and  full  of  instruction.  As  a  writer)  he 
was  clear,  forcible,  and  exact ;  as  a  bishop,  he  was 
careful  in  arranging  the  details  of  official  duties, 
prompt  in  his  decisions,  and  commanding  as  a  pre- 
siding officer.  His  religious  experience  was  clear 
and  triumphant.  As  he  approached  the  close  of  life, 
his  expressions  were  both  consoling  and  encouraging 


MEMORIAL   ADDRESSES.  367 

to  his  family.  He  rejoiced  in  Christian  song,  and 
the  music  of  hymns  soothed  his  pain  and  restlessness. 
He  repeated,  many  times,  'The  Lord  is  my  refuge 
and  strength,  a  very  present  help  in  trouble.  Amen  ; 
amen.'  He  died  at  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  May  23,  1871, 
in  the  fifty-ninth  year  of  his  age. 

"  Bishop  Thomson  was  a  man  of  decided  con- 
victions, and  of  deep  piety;  tender  and  gentle  as  a 
woman,  but  firm  and  unwavering  as  a  hero.  His 
reading  was  extensive  and  varied.  As  a  speaker,  he 
was  eloquent;  as' a  writer,  he  had  few  equals  for 
aptness  of  expression,  and  simplicity  and  beauty  of 
style.  In  every  position,  as  pastor,  teacher,  editor, 
and  bishop,  he  worked  successfully,  and  more  than 
met  the  expectations  of  the  Church.  He  died  as  he 
lived,  in  calm  and  peaceful  trust  and  confidence  in 
God.  He  died  at  Wheeling,  while  on  his  way  from 
the  West  Virginia  to  the  Pittsburg  Conference, 
March   22,  1870,  in  the  sixtieth  year  of  his  age. 

"  Bishop  Kingsley  was  a  clear  and  accurate 
thinker,  a  sound  theologian,  a  ready  and  skillful 
debater.  As  a  preacher,  he  was  forcible  and  con- 
vincing ;  as  a  writer,  strong  and  logical.  He  was  a 
man  of  earnestness  of  character,  deep  piety,  great 
devotion  to  the  Church,  and  of  unwearied  activitv. 
Of  apparently  strong  and  vigorous  constitution,  the 
Church  expected  from  him  long  life  and  great  use- 
fulness; but  in  a  moment,  in  a  strange  land,  the 
chariot  came  down,  and  he  ascended  from  the  summit 
of  Lebanon,  on  which  he  had  just  been  gazing.  He 
died  at  Beyroot,  Syria,  April  6,  1870,  in  the  fifty- 
eighth  year  of  his  age." 


368  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

After  the  reading  of  these  sketches,  addresses 
were  made  by  Drs.  Curry,  Thayer,  Hitchcock,  and 
Moses  Hill,  commemorative  of  the  lives  and  services 
of  the  deceased  bishops. 

On  the  first  day  of  this  session,  immediately 
after  the  calling  of  the  roll,  Bishop  Janes  stated  that 
the  bishops  were  ready  to  report  the  vote  of  the 
several  conferences  on  the  change  of  the  Second 
Restrictive  Rule,  providing  for  the  introduction  of 
lay  delegates  into  the  General  Conference.  Where- 
upon, at  the  request  of  the  Conference,  Bishop 
Simpson  presented  the  following: 

"  Dear  Brethren, — The  last  General  Conference 
devised  a  plan  for  lay  delegation,  which  they  recom- 
mended to  the  godly  consideration  of  our  ministers 
and  people.  In  connection  with  this  plan,  they  di- 
rected the  bishops  to  lay  before  the  several  annual 
conferences  a  proposed  alteration  of  the  Second  Re- 
strictive Rule,  and  to  report  the  result  of  the  vote 
thereon  to  this  General  Conference. 

"  In  compliance  with  said  action,  we  laid  before 
each  of  the  annual  conferences  the  proposition  to 
alter  the  Second  Restrictive  Rule,  by  adding  thereto 
the  word  'ministerial'  after  the  word  'one,'  and,  after 
the  word  'forty-five/  the  words,  'nor  more  than  two 
lay  delegates  for  any  annual  conference.'  Each  con- 
ference voted  on  said  proposition,  and  the  aggregate 
result  is  as  follows  : 

For  the  proposed  change, 4»9IS 

Against  the  proposed  change,          .         .         .  1,597 

Blank, 4 


LAY  DEL  EG  A  TION.  3  69 

"  Should  the  General  Conference  desire  it,  we  are 
prepared  to  report  the  vote  by  conferences. 

"  In  behalf  of  the  bishops,      M.  Simpson." 

After  the  reading  of  this  report,  a  paper,  signed 
by  Drs.  J.  T.  Peck,  W.  L.  Harris,  R.  S.  Foster,  G. 
Haven,  and  T.  M.  Eddy,  was  presented  and  read, 
ratifying  the  change  of  the  Second  Restrictive  Rule, 
declaring  the  Plan  for  Lay  Delegation  adopted,  and 
inviting  the  lay  delegates  elected  under  it  to  take 
their  seats  as  members  of  the  General  Conference. 

The  vote  on  concurring  with  the  annual  confer- 
ences in  changing  the  Second  Restrictive  Rule, 
was  as  follows  : 

Ayes, 283 

Nays, 6 

Absent  or  not  voting, 3 

The  vote  on  ratifying  and  adopting  the  plan  was 
252  to  36,  and  that  on  admitting  the  lay  delegates 
to  seats,  288  to  1.  And  thus  was  consummated, 
with  wonderful  unanimity,  a  most  important  change 
in  Methodist  polity — a  change  which  Bishop  Morris, 
with  that  rare  sagacity  for  which  he  was  remarkable, 
foresaw  years  before  as  inevitable,  and  to  which  he 
gave  his  unqualified  approval. 

The  wisdom  of  the  measure  was  clearly  apparent 
at  a  later  stage  of  the  proceedings  of  the  General 
Conference,  when  it  became  necessary  to  take  up 
and  adjust  certain  matters  of  difference  between  the 
Agents  of  the  Book  Concern  at  New  York.  For 
the  happy  settlement  of  that  most  unfortunate  strife, 
which  was  wholly  one  of  financial    management,  the 


37o  life  of  bis  nor  MORRIS 

Church  is  largely  indebted  to  the  business  skill  and 
training  of  the  lay  delegates. 

At  this  General  Conference  there  could  be  no 
question,  as  there  had  been  at  the  preceding  one,  of 
the  necessity  of  re-enforcing  the  episcopal  body. 
Accordingly,  eight  additional  bishops  were  elected, 
increasing  the  effective  force  to  twelve.  The  newly 
elected  bishops  were,  Thomas  Bowman,  William  L. 
Harris,  Randolph  S.  Foster,  Isaac  W.  Wiley,  Stephen 
M.  Merrill,  Edward  G.  Andrews,  Gilbert  Haven,  and 
Jesse  T.  Peck.  With  a  view  to  distribute  this  large 
episcopal  force  as  equally  as  possible  throughout  the 
work,  and  to  secure  the  presence  and  influence  of  the 
bishops  where  they  were  most  needed,  the  Confer- 
ence, with  great  unanimity,  designated  the  special 
location  of  each.  Although  this  action  looked  di- 
rectly to  special  and  local  oversight,  it  was  not 
intended  to  destroy  or  impair  the  unity  or  general 
superintendency  of  the  bishops. 

Soon  after  the  adjournment  of  this  General  Con- 
ference— that  is,  on  the  6th  day  of  June,  1872 — Bishop 
Morris  was  married  to  Miss  Sarah  Bruscup,  a  lady 
of  suitable  age,  of  thorough  culture,  of  high  social 
standing,  of  earnest  piety,  and  well  adapted  to  be  an 
agreeable  companion  and  a  helpmate. 

About  a  year  later — April  28,  1873 — on  his  sev- 
enty-ninth birthday,  we  find  another  social  gather- 
ing in  the  pleasant  home  of  the  venerable  bishop. 
Friends  were  there  from  Delaware,  Cincinnati,  and 
elsewhere,  to  join  their  congratulations  with  those  of 
the  bishop's  more  immediate  neighbors  and  fellow- 
citizens  of  Springfield.     Judge  Dial  read  a  biograph- 


LETTER   TO  THE  CONFERENCE.  37 1 

ical  paper,  addresses  were  delivered  by  Bishop  Wiley 
and  Rev.  Dr.  Moody,  and  a  poem,  written  for  the 
occasion,  was  read  by  Mrs.  Bishop  Thomson.  Bishop 
Morris  responded  to  all  these  earnest  and  eloquent 
words  of  congratulation  in  suitable  and  very  touching 
language.  This  occasion  was  of  more  than  ordinary 
interest  to  the  bishop,  as  an  assurance  that,  although 
now  on  the  "retired"  list,  he  was  not  forgotten. 

The  last  annual  conference  which  the  bishop  was 
able  to  attend  was  the  Cincinnati.  Its  session  in  the 
Autumn  of  1873  was  held  in  Springfield.  Bishop 
Ames  presided,  and  was  entertained  at  "Salubria." 
He  came  into  the  conference-room  on  the  morning 
of  the  last  day  of  the  session,  bringing  intelligence 
that  Bishop  Morris  was  extremely  ill,  and  might  not, 
and  probably  would  not,  recover.  The  bishop,  how- 
ever, rallied,  and  for  a  twelvemonth  longer  was  in 
comparatively  comfortable  health. 

His  last  official  act  was  to  administer  the  sacra- 
ment of  baptism  to  a  grandchild  of  his  friend  and 
former  colleague,  Bishop  Clark,  a  son  of  E.  W.  and 
Katie  Clark  Mulliken,  at  their  home  in   Springfield. 

On  Thursday,  August  27,  1874,  while  the  Cincin- 
nati Conference  was  in  session  at  Wilmington,  Ohio, 
a  communication  was  received  from  Bishop  Morris, 
and  read  as  follows  : 

-     "Springfield,  Ohio,  August  24,  1874. 
"To  Rev.  Bishop  Foster  and  the  Cincinnati  Conferettce,  in  Conference 
assembled. 

"Dear  Brethren, — I  wish  to  say  a  few  things 
to  you  in  regard  to  my  health,  and  some  other  mat- 
ters.    The  28th  of  last  April,  I  entered  my  eighty- 


372  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

first  year.  I  have  but  little  pain  or  sickness  for  one 
of  my  age.  I  sleep  well.  My  digestion  is  excellent, 
and,  apart  from  the  infirmities  incident  to  my  time 
of  life,  I  am  very  comfortable.  I,  however,  take  but 
little  part  in  the  active  duties  of  life,  and,  having 
served  my  day  and  generation  as  God  has  given  me 
ability,  I  am  now  resting  in  the  quietude  of  my 
home.  True,  I  am  no  longer  able  to  go  in  and  out 
before  you,  to  sit  in  your  councils,  and  take  part  in 
your  deliberations,  yet  my  heart  and  sympathy  are 
with  you  ;  and  for  Zion's  prosperity  my  tears  shall 
fall  and  my  prayers  ascend  until  my  release  is  signed, 
and  I  go  to  join  the  Church  triumphant  in  the  skies. 
"As  to  my  religious  enjoyment,  it  is  not  increased 
by  exemption  from  labor,  but  rather  the  contrary. 
This,  however,  is  what  I  expected;  and  I  find  it 
requires  more  grace  to  suffer  than  to  do  the  will  of 
my  Heavenly  Father.  But,  although  this  is  the  case, 
I  am  by  no  means  destitute  of  enjoyment.  No,  clear 
brethren  ;  I  find  the  religion  I  so  long  preached  to 
others  is  able  to  bring  peace  and  assurance  to  the 
heart  in  retirement,  as  well  as  when  in  the  heat  of 
the  battle,  leading  forth  the  conquering  hosts  to  cer- 
tain victory.  Thank  God  for  the  Christian's  hope ! 
It  comforts  and  sustains  amid  all  the  vicissitudes  of 
life,  and  to  the  trusting  heart  makes  bright  the  future. 
In  reviewing  the  past,  I  have  only  this  to  say,  that 
God  has  been  very  good  to  me.  Most  of  my  associ- 
ates in  the  ministry,  as  well  as  many  loved  ones,  have 
passed  away.  I  yet  linger  on  the  shore,  and  soon 
expect  to  cross  the  river.  I  am  nearing  the  Jordan, 
and  in   the  course  of  nature  can  not  stay  here  much 


RESPONSE  TO  LETTER.  373 

longer ;  but  beneath  me  are  the  everlasting  arms, 
and,  through  riches  of  grace  in  Christ  Jesus  my  Lord, 
I  hope  to  anchor  safely  in  the  harbor  of  eternal  rest. 
In  all  probability,  this  is  the  last  time  I  shall  address 
you.  Before  another  session  of  your  Conference  I 
may  be  safely  home.  Therefore,  in  conclusion,  per- 
mit me  to  say,  dear  brethren,  live  for  God  ;  preach 
Christ  and  him  crucified  ;  seek  not  the  applause  of 
men,  or  the  honor  that  cometh  from  the  world  ;  but 
so  live  that,  in  the  great  day  of  accounts,  you  can 
say,  ■  Here  am  I,  and  the  souls  thou  hast  given  me.' 
Praying  the  Great  Head  of  the  Church  to  direct  in 
all  the  deliberations  of  the  present  session  of  Confer- 
ence, I  am,  dear  brethren, 

"Yours,  fraternally,  T.  A.  Morris." 

A  Committee,  consisting  of  Rev.  J.  F.  Wright, 
D.  D.,  and  Revs.  M.  Dustin,  E.  H.  Field,  and  J.  F. 
Marlay,  was  appointed  to  prepare  and  report  to  the 
Conference  a  suitable  response.  On  Monday  morn- 
ing the  Committee  reported  the  following  response, 
which  was  adopted  by  a  rising  vote  : 

"  Wilmington,  August  28,  1874. 

"Bishop  T.  A.  Morris, —  Reverend  mid  Dear 
Brother:  The  undersigned  have  been  appointed  a 
Committee  to  respond  to  your  letter  of  fraternal 
greetings  addressed  to  the  Cincinnati  Conference,  and 
read  at  the  opening  of  the  present  session. 

"We  assure  you  that  your  communication  was  re- 
ceived by  your  brethren  of  this  body  with  sincere 
pleasure,  and  listened  to  with  profound  emotion. 

"We  congratulate  you  that,  in  the  good  providence 


374  LIFE   0F  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

of  God,  your  life  has  been  spared  so  long  to  the 
Church  and  the  world,  and  that  now,  at  fourscore 
years  of  age,  you  enjoy  so  comfortable  a  state  of 
health. 

"Our  common  and  fervent  supplication  for  you  is, 
that  God  may  still  have  you  in  his  holy  keeping; 
that  he  may  continue  to  bless  you  with  bodily  health, 
and  keep  your  soul  in  perfect  peace. 

"We  need  hardly  assure  you  of  our  high  appreci- 
ation of  your  long  and  faithful  services  to-the  Church. 
In  performing  the  various,  and  oftentimes  difficult 
and  responsible  duties  assigned  you,  you  have  made  a 
record  of  which  the  whole  Church  feels  justly  proud. 

"  No  man  living,  probably,  whose  life  has  been  so 
active  and  public,  has  spoken  or  written  fewer  words 
which,  dying,  he  could  wish  to  blot. 

"Dear  and  venerated  Father, — we  do  most  ear- 
nestly commend  you  to  God  and  the  word  of  his 
grace,  which  is  able  to  build  you  up,  and  to  give  you 
an  inheritance  among  all  them  which  are  sanctified. 

"  Pray  for  us,  that  we,  who  have  entered  into  your 
labors,  may  be  worthy  sons  and  successors  in  the 
Gospel. 

"  The  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  love  of 
God,  and  the  communion  of  the  Holy  Spirit  be  with 
you  always  ! 

"Signed  on  behalf  of  the  Cincinnati  Conference. 
"John  F.  Wright,  M.  Dustix, 

"E.  H.  Field,  J.  F.  Marlay." 

The  letter  of  Bishop  Morris  was  dictated  two 
days  before  the  Conference  convened.     On  Wednes- 


DEATH.  375 

day,  August  26th,  he  awoke  in  his  usual  health,  and 
expressed  a  desire  to  ride  out  ;  but,  while  the  prep- 
arations were  being  made,  he  suddenly  grew  worse, 
and  from  this  attack  never  rallied.  He  did  not  seem, 
however,  to  realize  his  nearness  to  eternity  until 
Friday  morning,  when  he  inquired  of  Mrs.  Morris  if 
she  thought  he  would  die  before  night.  She  said 
that  she  had  no  such  thought;  but  added,  "We  can 
not  tell  what  a  day  may  bring  forth."  He  replied, 
"Whatever  the  result  may  be,  all  is  well — all  is. 
right!'  He  afterward  said  to  his  wife  that  he  wanted 
her  to  tell  him  frankly  whenever  she  thought  the 
hour  had  come. 

On  Saturday  morning,  he  was  observed  to  draw 
his  bed-quilts  closely  around  him,  as  if  cold.  On 
being  asked  by  his  wife  if  he  thought  it  was  a  chill, 
he  said,  "Why,  no,  wife  ;  it  is  a  death  coldness."  On 
the  following  day — Sabbath — Philip  Phillips,  accompa- 
nied by  a  few  friends,  spent  an  hour  with  him  in  sing- 
ing and  prayer.  He  greatly  enjoyed  this  service,  and 
frequently,  during  the  singing,  exclaimed,  "  How  sweet ! 
how  beautiful  !"  During  the  prayers,  too,  he  seemed 
much  engaged,  responding  frequently  and  earnestly. 
On  Monday  evening,  when  his  wife  expressed  a  fear 
that  he  might  soon  be  called  away,  he  said,  promptly, 
"All  is  right;  all  is  right!"  She  asked  him,  then, 
how  the  future  looked,  and  his  cheerful,  ready  re- 
sponse was,  "  The  future  looks  bright !"  And  in  this 
frame  of  mind  he  lingered  until  Wednesday,  Septem- 
ber 2d,  at  noon,  when  he  slept  in  Jesus. 

The  funeral  services  were  held  in  the  High-street 
Methodist    Church,    Friday,   September    4th,  at    two 


37^  LIFE  OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

o'clock  P.  M.,  under  the  direction  of  the  pastor,  Rev. 
L.  Clark,  and  Rev.  W.  I.  Ellsworth.  The  attendance 
was  very  large,  embracing  many  ministers  of  the 
Cincinnati  and  Ohio  Conferences.  The  pall-bearers 
were  Rev.  J.  M.  Walden,  D.  D.,  Rev.  W.  Herr,  Rev. 
W.  L.  Hypes,  Rev.  J.  W.  Cassatt,  Rev.  T.  H.  Pearne, 
D.  D.,  Rev.  T.  H.  Monroe,  P.  P.  Mast,  Esq.,  and 
Judge  E.  G.  Dial. 

After  the  singing  of  the  1086th  hymn,  prayer 
was  offered  by  Rev.  W.  Herr.  A  biographical  sketch 
of  the  bishop  was  then  read  by  J.  F.  Marlay ;  after 
which,  brief  remarks  were  made,  as  follows  : 

ADDRESS   BY  REV.  J.  M.  TRIMBLE,  D.  D. 

u  My  first  meeting  with  Bishop  Morris  was  in 
June,  1824,  at  Athens,  the  seat  of  the  Ohio  Uni- 
versity. He  was  returning  from  General  Conference, 
which  was  held  that  year  in  Baltimore.  He  spent 
several  days  with  us,  visiting  his  brother  Calvary, 
and  preached  on  Sabbath.  I  next  met  him  at  Ur- 
bana,  during  the  session  of  the  Ohio  Conference 
held  in  that  place  in  September,  1829.  This  was 
his  first  meeting  with  the  Ohio  Conference  after  his 
transfer  from  Kentucky.  He  was  greeted  with  great 
cordiality  by  the  senior  members  of  our  body,  and 
heartily  welcomed  back  to  their  fellowship.  His 
sermon  at  this  Conference,  on  Sunday  afternoon,  in 
the  Presbyterian  Church,  I  shall  never' forget.  His 
subject  was,  the  Resurrection  of  Christ  ;  and  the 
effect  was  thrilling,  resulting  in  a  general  outburst 
of  praise  all  over  the  house.  In  1830,  during  his 
pastorate    at    Columbus,   he    visited    Chillicothe,   and 


FUNERAL  ADDRESSES.  S77 

preached  several  times  very  acceptably  ;  the  under- 
standing at  the  time  being  that  my  colleague,  Rev. 
John  H.  Power,  would  aid  him  in  a  meeting  in  Co- 
lumbus, appointed  for  April,  1 83 1.  Sickness  in  my 
colleague's  family  prevented  him  from  going,  and  he 
sent  me. 

"  I  left  Chillicothe  on  Friday,  reached  Columbus 
on  Saturday,  and,  being  a  stranger,  went  directly 
to  the  parsonage,  a  little  frame  building  with  two 
small  rooms,  in  the  rear  of  the  Church.  Brother 
Morris  insisted  on  entertaining  me,  and  I  was  their 
guest  for  six  days.  Their  home  was  a  very  pleasant, 
though  a  contracted  one.  Mrs.  Morris — one  of  God's 
noble  women — made  sunshine  every-where  in  their 
humble  domicile.  During  that  week  ninety  persons 
were  added  to  the  Church,  most  of  whom  were  con- 
verted. I  next  met  him  at  a  camp-meeting  held  by 
the  circuit  and  Columbus  Station,  a  few  miles  north 
of  the  .city.  Bishop  M'Kendree  was  there,  with 
twenty  or  more  preachers,  on  their  way  to  the  Ohio 
Conference,  soon  to  assemble  in  Mansfield.  This 
occasion  was  a  memorable  one,  on  account  of  the 
presence  and  ministrations  of  Bishop  M'Kendree. 

"In  1833,  I  was  stationed  in  Cincinnati,  with 
Rev.  J.  B.  Finley  as  my  senior  colleague,  and  Rev. 
T.  A.  Morris  as  presiding  elder.  Here  my  acquaint- 
ance with  him  became  more  intimate,  and  my  love 
for  him  increased.  It  seemed  impossible  not  to  love 
him,  he  was  so  kind  and  brotherly  in  his  intercourse 
with  his  preachers.  In  April,  1834,  he  was  appointed 
editor  of  the  Western  Christian  Advocate,  and  brother 
Finley    was    placed    in   charge    of  the   district.     The 


378  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

death  of  Dr.  Sargent,  and  the  failing  health  of  brother 
J.  M'D.  Mathews,  left  the  station  work  to  John 
Collins  and  myself.  Five  preaching-places,  with 
preaching  three  times  every  Sabbath  in  two  of  them, 
made  the  work  onerous,  and  it  became  necessary  to 
call  on  the  Book-room  officials,  editors,  agents,  and 
clerks,  as  well  as  our  local  preachers,  for  help.  The 
work  of  procuring  supplies  devolved  principally  on 
me ;  and  I  have  it  to  say  that  I  never  asked  brother 
Morris  to  preach  without  receiving  a  cheerful  and 
prompt  affirmative  response:  but  I  can  not  say  this 
of  all  to  whom  I  applied. 

"  His  family  was  in  my  pastoral  charge  ;  and  I 
was  frequently  in  their  home,  to  receive  cheer  and 
encouragement  from  sister  Morris.  Her  record  is  on 
high  ;  and  her  devotedly  pious  daughter,  Jane,  a  fac- 
simile of  the  mother  in  every  thing  good,  joins  her 
in  the  rest  that  remains  for  the  people  of  God. 

"Bishop  Morris  was  possessed  of  a  goojd  mind, 
well  disciplined  by  his  own  efforts  in  self-culture. 
He  was  so  amiable  in  his  manners,  and  so  affable  in 
his  intercourse  with  his  fellow-men,  that  he  made 
many  friends,  and  few,  if  any,  enemies.  I  loved  to 
hear  him  preach.  He  always  quit  when  he  was  done, 
and  generally  when  there  was  a  most  blessed  sense  of 
the  Divine  presence  manifest  in  the  audience.  But 
he  has  passed  to  his  heavenly  home,  where  we  hope 
to  meet  him. 

"  O,  that  God  may  graciously  minister  comfort  to 
these  bereaved  ones  !  Look  up,  ye  sorrowing  ones, 
and  beyond  the  river  ;  your  beloved  is  there  to  join 
his  brethren,  who  have  passed  on  before  him,  in  the 


FUNERAL  ADDRESSES.  37^ 

delightful  employments. and  enjoyments  of  heaven,  in 
their  song  of  salvation  to  God  and  the  Lamb  ! 

"And  you,  my  dear  brother,  son  of  my  venerated 
friend,*  you  will  not  be  separated  long  from  the  dear 
ones  who  await  your  coming  in  the  home  of  the 
blest.  That  sainted  mother,  who  nursed  you,  who 
clasped  you  to  a  bosom  glowing  with  pure  affection 
for  her  child,  will  hail  you  ;  with  outstretched  arms 
she  will  welcome  you,  and  leading  you  up  to  the 
Throne,  will  say,  Here,  blessed  Savior,  is  the  son  for 
whom  I  wept,  prayed,  and  labored  in  yonder  world, 
washed  in  thy  all-cleansing  blood, — I  present  him 
now  to  thee,  to  be  crowned  an  heir  of  everlasting 
life !  O  Lord,  gather  all  the  family  at  last  to  share 
the  bliss  of  heaven  !" 

ADDRESS   BY  REV.  JOHN  F.  WRIGHT,  D.  D. 

"  The  itinerancy  of  Thomas  A.  Morris  and  myself 
in  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  was  long  con- 
temporaneous. I  was  admitted  into  the  Virginia 
Conference,  February  20,  18 15  ;  and  he  into  the 
Ohio  Conference,  September  3,  18 16.  In  the  Fall 
of  182 1,  when  I  was  received  by  transfer  into  the 
Ohio  Conference,  brother  Morris  was  transferred  to 
the  Kentucky  Conference,  where  he  spent  seven 
years — laboring  three  years  on  circuits,  two  in  sta- 
tions, and  two  as  presiding  elder  on  the  Green-river 
District.  In  1824,  we  were  both  delegates  to  the 
General  Conference,  held  in  May,  in  the  city  of 
Baltimore. 

"  Our  first  acquaintance,  personally,  was  formed 
*  Rev.  F.  A.  Morris,  D.  D. 


3  SO  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

at  this  General  Conference,  which  to  me  was  agree- 
able, and  very  pleasant.  Five  years  later,  he  was 
transferred  back  to  Ohio,  and  appointed  to  Lebanon, 
in  the  Lebanon  District,  of  which  I  was  then  pre- 
siding elder.  We  were  thus  brought  into  close  asso- 
ciation ;  so  that  our  acquaintance  soon  ripened  into 
friendship,  which  culminated  in  an  intense  fraternal 
love,  that  never  ceased. 

"In  the  Fall  of  1829,  I  invited  him  to  meet  me 
at  a  quarterly-meeting  held  at  old  '  Union  Church/ 
near  Xenia,  and  assist  in  the  labors  of  the  pulpit. 
The  meeting  was  a  success  throughout,  but  the  love- 
feast  was  glorious  ;  and  the  effect,  under  the  sermon 
of  brother  Morris,  was  remarkable.  His  text  was, 
•  The  poor  have  the  Gospel  preached  to  them.' 

"We  have  just  heard,  from  Dr.  Trimble,  of  a  ser- 
mon preached  by  brother  Morris  during  a  Conference 
session  at  Urbana,  and  the  effect  it  produced.  No 
one  could  describe  that  scene.  All  we  can  say  is, 
It  was  the  Lord's  doings,  and  it  was  marvelous  in 
our  eyes.  We  had  the  aid  of  brother  Morris  at  sev- 
eral other  quarterly-meetings,  and  at  some  camp- 
meetings,  while  I  remained  on  the  district,  and  always 
found  him  not  only  an  efficient  laborer,  but  an  accept- 
able and  successful  minister  of  Christ. 

"In  May,  1832,  the  General  Conference  sent  me 
to  Cincinnati  as  Assistant  Book  Agent,  with  the 
Rev.  Charles  Holliday  as  my  colleague.  It  was  not 
long  until  a  weekly  religious  periodical,  in  connection 
with  the  Western  Book  Concern,  was  urged,  as  a 
matter  of  necessity,  by  many  of  the  preachers  and 
people  in  the  West. 


FUNERAL  ADDRESSES.  38 1 

"After  being  much  talked  about  in  private  cir- 
cles, it  was  finally  laid  before  the  Western  Confer- 
ences;  and  it  is  believed  that  they  were  unanimous 
in  petitioning  the  authorities  of  the  Church  to  estab- 
lish such  a  paper.  The  Book  Committee  and  the 
Agents  in  Cincinnati  laid  the  matter  before  the 
authorities  of  the  Church  in  New  York,  and  they 
gave  their  cordial  consent  and  co-operation  to  the 
publication  of  a  paper  under  the  name  of  Western 
Cli  ristian  A  dvoca  te. 

"The  next  thing  was  to  find  a  man  well  qualified 
to  edit  such  a  paper,  and  the  authorities  in  Cincin- 
nati selected  Thomas  A.  Morris  as,  in  their  judgment, 
competent  to  do  the  work.  This  choice  was  ratified 
in  New  York,  and  I-  was  appointed  to  communicate 
the  result  to  the  editor  elect,  who  was  serving  the 
Church  at  that  time  as  presiding  elder  of  Cincinnati 
District,  and  residing  at  Madisonville.  About  two 
months  later,  the  first  number  of  the  Western  Chris- 
tian Advocate  was  issued,  May  2,  1834. 

"  Brother  Morris  was  as  acceptable  and  useful  as 
an  editor  as  he  had  been  as  a  preacher  and  pastor. 
He  served  the  Church  in  this  position  two  years,  to 
the  satisfaction  of  the  patrons  and  readers  of  the 
paper.  As  editor,  he  was  regarded  as  wise,  judicious, 
and  careful  to  conform  his  views  to  the  doctrines, 
government,  and  Discipline  of  the  Church  he  served. 
His  editorials  were  strikingly  characterized  by  per- 
spicuity, brevity,  and  force. 

"As  an  associate  and  companion  in  labor  for  the 
cause  of  Christ  and  the  Church,  brother  Holliday  and 
myself  found  him  to  be  very  agreeable  and  pleasant. 


382  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

It  may  be  safely  affirmed,  I  think,  that  no  three 
officers  of  the  Church  ever  associated  and  worked 
together  with  more  harmony,  peace,  and  brotherly 
love  than  we  did. 

"In  May,  1836,  the  Quadrennial  Session  of  the 
General  Conference  was  held  in  Cincinnati.  It  was 
decided  to  strengthen  the  Episcopacy  by  the  election 
of  three  additional  bishops.  The  election  was  made 
the  order  of  the  day  for  May  24th.  At  the  appointed 
hour,  when  the  order  of  the  day  was  called,  Rev.  W. 
Winans,  of  Mississippi,  said  :  'As  the  brother  is  not 
present,  I  will  take  the  liberty  to  nominate  Wilbur 
Fisk,  of  the  New  England  Conference,  for  the  office 
of  a  bishop.'  On  the  first  ballot,  Beverly  Waugh  and 
Wilbur  Fisk  were  elected,  while  T.  A.  Morris  lacked 
but  one  vote  of  an  election.  After  one  or  two  other 
ballots  without  an  election,  brother  Morris  arose  and 
said,  '  Mr.  President,  I  earnestly  desire  to  withdraw 
my  name  from  this  canvass,  and  beg  my  friends  to 
cast  no  more  votes  for  me.'  Very  soon,  however,  it 
was  announced  that  he  was  elected  a  bishop  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 

"At  the  close  of  the  General  Conference,  Bishop 
Morris  immediately  entered  upon  the  duties  of  his 
new  office  and  sphere  of  labor.  My  associations  with 
him,  however,  did  not  cease  with  his  elevation  to  the 
Episcopacy.  As  Book  Agent,  I  had  occasion  to  visit 
many  of  the  same  annual  conferences,  and  often  to 
travel  with  the  presiding  bishops.  I  kept  an  account 
one  year,  and  found  that  I  traveled  with  one  bishop 
that  year  more  than  eight  thousand  miles,  principally 
in  steamboats  and  mail-coaches. 


FUNERAL  ADDRESSES.  383 

"  I  was  frequently  thrown  into  the  company  of 
Bishop  Morris,  and  I  have  no  doubt  we  traveled 
together  many  thousand  miles  during  the  eight  years 
I  remained  in  the  Book  Agency,  after  he  left  the  ed- 
itorial chair.  We  had  many  opportunities  to  com- 
mune together,  and  we  had  a  great  variety  of  subjects 
for  conversation.  It  gives  me  great  pleasure  now, 
while  I  linger  a  little  behind  him,  to  retrospect  the 
past,  and  recall  many  of  the  interviews  we  had  in 
the  journey  on  earth,  some  of  which  he  adorned  with 
plain,  practical,  luminous  truths,  as  with  jewels.  These 
I  have  stored  away  among  the  richest  and  sweetest 
memories  of  my  life. 

"  His  first  wife,  a  daughter  of  Nathaniel  Scales, 
of  Virginia,  was  raised  within  a  few  miles  of  the  place 
of  my  nativity,  in  North  Carolina.  I  knew  her  well. 
Two  children — Jane  and  Francis  Asbury — were  the 
fruit  of  this  marriage,  and  they  both  experienced 
religion  in  their  youth.  I  knew  and  felt  a  deep  inter- 
est in  them  while  they  were  seeking  salvation.  Jane, 
some  years  later,  married  Mr.  Joseph  G.  Rust,  of  Cin- 
cinnati. After  a  short  but  happy  married  life,  she 
died,  leaving  a  son  and  a  daughter.  Asbury  entered 
the  ministry,  and  is  now  an  honored  and  useful  mem- 
ber of  the  Missouri  Conference  of  the  Church  South. 
God  bless  the  descendants  of  my  lamented  friend, 
and  may  religion  never  wear  out  in  the  family  ! 

"  Since  Bishop  Morris's  partial  retirement,  on  ac- 
count of  repeated  and  severe  shocks  of  paralysis,  we 
have  not  been  much  together.  I  have  visited  him 
occasionally,  and  sometimes  we  have  met  at  confer- 
ences and  other  meetings.     We,  however,  kept  up  a 


384  LIFE    OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

correspondence.  After  his  second  stroke  of  paralysis, 
I  wrote  him  a  letter  of  sympathy  and  comfort.  Though 
I  did  not  expect  an  answer  in  his  own  hand,  as  he  had 
been  paralyzed  on  both  sides,  yet  he  replied  with  un- 
usual promptness,  saying  that,  although  both  hands 
were  affected,  he  was  not  entirely  helpless  in  either. 

"  I  inferred  from  the  closing  words  of  this  letter 
that  he  was  impressed  it  would  be  the  last  he  would 
write  to  me.  He  closed  it  as  he  had  not  done  any 
previous  one.     These  were  his  words : 

"  'And  when  the  great  reunion  takes  place  above, 
may  we  all  be  there,  complete  in  Christ  Jesus  our 
Lord  !  Yours,  as  ever  and  forever, 

"  '  T.  A.  Morris.' 

"  I  close  this  address  in  some  of  the  words  of 
David,  in  his  lamentation  at  the  death  of  Jonathan. 
They  accord  well  with  my  feelings  at  this  hour: 
'How  are  the  mighty  fallen  in  the  midst  of  the  bat- 
tle! O,  Jonathan,  thou  wast  slain  in  thy  high  places. 
I  am  distressed  for  thee,  my  brother  ;  very  pleasant 
hast  thou  been  unto  me.'" 

ADDRESS   BY    REV.    F.    MERRICK. 

"And  now  it  remains  that  we  perform  the  last 
office  of  friendship  left  us,  to  our  departed  and  ven- 
erable friend  and  pastor,  that  we  bear  his  remains  to 
the  grave,  there  to  rest  until  the  morning  of  the  resur- 
rection. But  not  with  unmingled  sadness  do  we  per- 
form this  office.     Death,  it  is  true,  is  a  sad  event. 

'Yea,  though  promises  and  hopes  strive  to  cheat  its  sadness; 
Full  of  grief,  though  faith  herself  is  strong  to  speed  the  soul ; 
For  the  partner  of  its  toil   is  left  behind  to  endure   the  ordeal  of 
change.' 


FUNERAL  ADDRESSES.  385 

"And  it  is  sad. to  be  separated,  though  but  for  a 
season,  from  those  we  love.  And  yet,  in  the  case  of 
our  departed  friend,  how  much  there  is  to  relieve  this 
sadness, — the  past,  full  of  pleasant  memories  ;  the 
present,  of  precious  consolations  ;  the  future,  of  glori- 
ous hopes  !  A  life  so  simple,  so  pure,  and  so  true, 
can  not  be  recalled  but  with  pleasure.  As  a  son,  a 
brother,  a  husband,  and  father;  as  a  citizen,  pastor, 
and  bishop,  he  met  with  the  utmost  fidelity,  and  per- 
formed with  singular  propriety  the  duties  which  these 
relations  impose^  with  what  fidelity  and  propriety, 
those  who  knew  him  best  will  the  most  highly  appre- 
ciate. As  a  writer  and  preacher  he  will  long  be  held 
in  grateful  remembrance.  And  who  would  wish  to 
forget  the  quiet  humor  which,  as  a  subtle  aroma, 
ever  pervaded  and  enlivened  his  private  conversation 
and  public  discourse  ?  or  the  no  less  subtle  and  quiet 
pathos  with  which;  at  times,  he  melted  all  hearts, 
while  he  impressed  upon  them  the  great  truths  apper- 
taining to  their  spiritual  well-being? 

"To  know  Bishop  Morris  was  to  respect  and  love 
him.  Few  had  more  friends — who  fewer  enemies  ? 
Pleasant,  indeed,  is  the  memory  of  such  a  life  and 
character.  And  the  present,  with  all  its  sorrows,  is  not 
devoid  of  consolation.  That  body,  worn  by  disease  and 
oppressed  with  the  infirmities  of  age,  is  at  rest  ;  and 
the  spirit,  which  for  years  had  increasingly  felt  the 
limitations  of  its  earthly  environs,  is  now  free,  and, 
without  doubt,  unspeakably  blessed  in  the  activities 
and  associations  of  its  heavenly  home.  Absent  from 
the  body,  present  with  the  Lord.  Escaped  from 
earth,  at  home  in  heaven. 

33 


386  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

"And  the  future  !  What  a  vista  opens  to  the  eye 
of  faith,  as  Revelation,  piercing  the  veil,  sheds  its 
light  upon  things  to  come!  How  pleasant  to  know 
that  for  our  departed  friend  there  is  to  be  eternal 
progress  in  knowledge  and  virtue;  deeper  and  still 
deeper  insight  into  the  character  and  works  of  God, 
and  especially  into  the  mystery  of  sin  and  redemp- 
tion, as  an  unfolding  of  that  character,  in  the  most 
wonderful  manifestation  of  its  wisdom  and  love;  and 
higher  and  still  higher  attainments  in  all  that  is 
ennobling  and  God-like  ;  and  for  us,  his  relatives  and 
friends,  who  to-day  mingle  our  tears  in  a  common 
sorrow,  reunion  with  him  amid  those  scenes  of  ever- 
increasing  light  and  glory  ! 

"  Let  us,  then,  as  we  bear  these  remains  to  the 
tomb,  mingle  with  our  tears  the  thanks  of  grateful 
and  adoring  love  to  Him  who  gave  to  us  and  to  the 
Church  one  so  worthy  to  be  enshrined  in  our  affec- 
tions and  memories,  and  through  whose  mercy  the 
grave  becomes  the  portal  to  endless  joys. 

"To  the  bereaved  family  circle  I  dare  not  approach, 
even  with  words  of  sympathy  and  consolation.  Your 
sorrow,  dear  friends,  and  your  consolation,  are  alike 
too  sacred  for  the  intermeddling  of  a  stranger.  You 
know  who  appoints  the  sorrow,  and  from  whom 
comes  the  consolation.  The  only  office  becoming  me 
is  to  commend  you,  as  most  sincerely  and  devoutly 
I  do,  to  Him  who  is  an  ever-present  help  in  time  of 
trouble,  and  in  whom  all  grace  abounds. 

"For  us  all,  this  hour  has  its  lessons.  Life,  death, 
immortality.  What  means  life  ?  In  what  consists  its 
true  significance  ?    How  terrible  the  fact  of  probation  ! 


BURIAL  SERVICES.  387 

Life,  a  probation  for  eternity  !  This  cold  form  re- 
minds us  that  our  probation  will  soon  be  closed, 
our  accounts  sealed  up,  our  destinies  fixed.  Who  can 
mistake  the  lesson  ? 

"  Brethren  in  the  ministry,  the  time  left  us  for 
proclaiming  the  great  salvation  is  short.  Those  lips, 
once  so  persuasively  eloquent  in  its  proclamation,  are 
now  mute  in  death.  Ours,  too,  will  soon  be  silent. 
Upon  some  of  our  heads  these  reverend  hands  once 
rested,  as  we  took  upon  ourselves  our  solemn  ordi- 
nation vows.  Around  this  coffin  let  us  renew  those 
vows.  Henceforth,  with  increased  earnestness,  let  us 
preach  that  Gospel  he  so  delighted  to  preach,  and 
preached  with  so  much  fidelity  and  success.  Upon 
us  may  his  mantle  fall,  and  to  us  may  there  be  given 
of  that  holy  anointing  by  which  his  ministrations 
were  made  so  rich  in  spiritual  results. 

"The  night  cometh.  Let  us  work  while  it  is  day. 
And  when  the  last  hour  shall  come  to  us,  may  it, 
like  his,  be  peace." 

The  choir  then  sang  very  beautifully  the  favorite 
hymn  of  the  bishop  : 

"My  latest  sun  is  sinking  fast!" 

after  which,  a  long  and  solemn  procession  slowly 
wended  its  way  through  the  streets  of  Springfield  to 
Fern  Cliff  Cemetery,  where  the  impressive  burial- 
service  of  the  Church  was  read,  and  all  that  was 
mortal  of  Bishop  Morris  was  consigned  to  "the  house 
appointed  for  all  living." 


388  LIFE  OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 


CHAPTER    XVI. 

AN  ESTIMATE  OF  BISHOP  MORRIS PERSONAL  APPEARANCE 

CHARACTERISTICS — RELIGIOUS  EXPERIENCE. 

AS  one  of  the  last  in  the  long  line  of  Methodistic 
heroes,  and  as  perhaps  the  very  last  of  the 
pioneer  bishops,  the  subject  of  this  memoir  must 
ever  hold  a  high  place  among  the  leading  men  of  the 
Church.  He  belonged  emphatically  to  that  class  of 
men  who  are  content  to  be  known  by  their  fruits — 
whose  lives  are  made  up  of  deeds  rather  than  words. 
And  no  one,  certainly,  who  has  followed  the  writer 
through  these  pages,  will  deny  that  Bishop  Morris 
was  as  faithful  and  abundant  in  performance  as  he 
was  modest  and  quiet  in  profession.  It  seems  fitting, 
therefore,  that  a  little  space  in  his  biography  should 
be  devoted  to  a  nearer  personal  inspection  of  the 
man,  as  well  as  to  an  analysis  of  a  character  so 
beautiful  and  symmetrical. 

Bishop  Morris  was  not,  perhaps,  what  would  be 
called  a  man  of  commanding  personal  appearance, 
though,  in  his  prime,  he  was  by  no  means  destitute 
of  the  noble  mien  and  dignified  bearing  which  are 
popularly  associated  with  high  position.  His  portly 
physique,  placid  countenance,  paternal  manners,  and 
perfect  self-control,  as  well  adorned  the  presidential 
chair  of  a  deliberative  body  as  if  he   had   been  born 


PERSONAL    TRAITS.  389 

to  lead.  His  natural  embonpoint  increased  in  later 
life,  to  decided  corpulency,  of  which  he  was  a  little 
sensitive,  as  will  be  noticed  in  his  article,  inserted  in 
the  body  of  this  work,  entitled  "Lean  vs.  Fat."  But 
his  complexion  was  so  fair,  clear,  and  beautiful,  his 
face  so  kindly  and  gentle  in  its  expression,  and  his 
personal  habits  so  scrupulously  neat,  that  he  was, 
upon  the  whole,  and  even  to  extreme  old  age,  a  man 
of  attractive  appearance. 

His  health  in  early  life  seems  to  have  been  frail 
and  uncertain.  It  was  mainly  on  that  account  that 
he  hesitated  so  long  about  entering  the  itinerant 
ranks  ;  and  it  was  apparently  an  unsettled  question 
in  his  own  mind,  for  years,  whether  he  would  be  able 
to  go  on  in  the  regular  work  after  he  had  entered 
upon  it.  It  seems  surprising  that  he  was  physically 
equal  to  the  severe  hardships  and  dangerous  ex- 
posures of  his  long  and  laborious  life.  To  a  modern 
itinerant,  the  story  herein  related,  of  horseback  jour- 
neyings  through  track-less  forests,  of  nights  spent  in 
cold  and  cheerless  swamps  with  no  roof  but  the  sky, 
of  swimming  swollen  streams,  of  hunger  and  want, 
of  incessant  labor  for  the  public  good  with  very  little 
appreciation  or  support  from  the  public,  seems  almost 
incredible.  And  yet,  when  it  is  considered  that 
Bishop  Morris,  while  performing  this  excessive  labor, 
was  much  of  the  time  a  sufferer  from  some  form  of 
disease  ;  and  that  his  immense  circuits  of  travel  re- 
quired very  long  separations  from  a  delicate  and 
invalid  wife  ;  and  that,  for  many  years,  he  almost 
literally  paid  his  own  way  in  the  ministry  out  of  a 
slender    private    income, —  it    seems,    indeed,    almost 


SgO  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

utterly  inexplicable  that  he  was  so  sustained  in 
health,  and  that  he  was  able,  through  it  all,  to  main- 
tain so  equable  a  spirit.  It  is,  however,  but  one 
more  chapter  in  that  wonderful  book  of  Providence, 
illustrating  and  confirming  the  words,  "As  thy  days, 
so  shall  thy  strength  be." 

In  the  matter  of  mental  culture,  Bishop  Morris 
belonged  to  a  class  of  men  whose  exact  status  it  is 
difficult  to  define.  A  scholar  he  certainly  was  not, 
in  the  popular  sense  of  that  word,  and  yet  he  was 
by  no  means  an  unlearned  man.  He  was  what 
might  be  called,  in  the  best  sense  of  the  much- 
abused  expression,  a  self-made  man — as,  indeed,  were 
many  of  the  moral  giants  of  those  days.  We  have 
seen  that  schools  were  few  in  number  and  poor  in 
quality  in  the  region  of  country  where  his  school- 
days were  passed  ;  and  yet  it  was  his  good  fortune 
to  be  a  pupil  for  some  time  in  the  best  school  ac- 
cessible— a  grammar-school,  taught  by  a  thoroughly 
educated  Englishman,  near  his  father's  house.  In 
this  school  young  Morris  acquired  no  doubt  the 
elements  of  a  good  English  education,  and,  probably, 
some  knowledge  of  the  ancient  languages  ;  for,  years 
afterward,  he  pursued  the  study  of  Greek  with  good 
success  on  horseback,  while  passing  around  his  cir- 
cuits. He  was  always  a  student  ;  and  his  sermons, 
essays,  and  editorials  furnish  abundant  evidence  of  a 
wide  range  of  reading,  as  well  as  of  a  mind  of  rare 
natural  endowments.  His  style  was  epigramatic, 
clear,  and  forcible.  In  this  respect,  a  very  competent 
critic  has  said  that  no  minister  in  our  Church  has 
more    nearly    resembled    Mr.    Wesley    than    Bishop 


CHARACTERISTICS.  39 1 

Morris.  His  printed  sermons  are  characterized  by 
the  same  simplicity  of  style,  the  same  pith  and  di- 
rectness, the  same  lucid  arrangement,  and  the  same 
earnest  and  practical  enforcement  of  the  truth.* 

It  was  one  of  Bishop  Morris's  most  remarkable 
characteristics  that  he  could,  while  displaying  on  all 
occasions  immovable  firmness  of  purpose  in  what  he 
believed  to  be  right,  so  demean  himself  as  to  give  no 
offense.  It  will  be  recalled  how  he  passed  through 
the  stormy  days  of  the  so-called  radical  controversy, 
and  the  still  fiercer  antislavery  agitation,  as  well  as 
the  great  conflict  in  the  Church  which  culminated  in 
the  separation  of  the  Church  South,  with  decided 
opinions,  firmly  held  and  fearlessly  expressed,  yet 
with  the  sincere  respect  and  confidence  of  all  parties. 
It  was  this  rare  characteristic  which  secured  for  him, 
in  a  very  marked  and  unusual  degree,  the  love  of  the 
whole  Church,  throughout  his  entire  life.  He  was 
as  free,  perhaps,  as  any  man  could  be,  from  offensive 
self-assertion  and  mere  dogmatism.  The  respectful 
deference  he  paid  to  the  opinions  of  others,  and  the 
modesty  with  which  he  dissented  from  his  brethren, 
could  not  fail  to  win  the  admiration  of  an  opponent 
even.  That  men  were  sometimes  aggrieved  at  the 
course  he  felt  it  his  duty  to  pursue,  is  certain  ;  but 
it  is  equally  certain  that  Bishop  Morris  was  incapable 
of  treating  his  ministerial  or  other  brethren  with  dis- 
respect. And  this  trait  of  his  character  deserves  to 
be  carefully  noted  by  those  who  are  called  to  exer- 
cise episcopal  functions.  Men  may  possess  learning, 
genius,  eloquence,   so   as    to   speak   with    lips  which 

*  Ladies'  Repository,  November,  1874. 


392  LIFE    OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

seem  touched  almost  with  celestial  fire  ;  and  yet  they 
may  be,  at  the  same  time,  characterized  by  such 
faults  of  temper  and  manner  as  to  excite  the  preju- 
dices of  their  fellow-men,  and  so  destroy  their  influ- 
ence and  usefulness  utterly. 

The  apostle  Paul  took  especial  pains  not  to  give 
needless  offense,  and,  so  far  as  he  could  do  so  with  a 
good  conscience,  he  became  "all  things  to  all  men;" 
not  for  the  purpose  of  gaining  popularity,  but  that 
he  might  win  souls  to  Christ.  It  can  hardly  be 
questioned  that,  in  this  respect  at  least,  Bishop 
Morris  was  in  the  line  of  "  apostolical  succession." 
In  matters  not  affecting  the  great  interests  of  relig- 
ion, he  was  exceedingly  pliable  and  conciliatory,  and 
easy  to  be  entreated.  It  is  doubtful  whether  any 
man  ever  had,  or  could  have,  more  perfect  mastery 
of  his  tongue.  Who  ever  heard  him,  under  the 
greatest  provocation,  say  an  ill-tempered  or  bitter 
word  ?  Who  ever  saw  him,  amid  the  vexations  or 
annoyances  of  the  chairmanship  of  an  annual  confer- 
ence, lose  his  temper  or  self-control  ?  He  never 
made  a  profession  of  Christian  perfection  ;  and  yet, 
if  to  live  Christ-like,  if  always  to  exhibit  the  lovely 
spirit  of  him  who  was  meek  and  lowly,  and  whose 
words,  actions,  and  whole  deportment  were  kind, 
eentle,  and  attractive,  is  to  have  attained  to  that  ex- 
alted  state  of  grace,  then  those  who  knew  him  best 
will  concede  to  Bishop  Morris  what  he  did  not  claim 
for  himself. 

As  a  presiding  officer,  Bishop  Morris  has  been 
referred  to  since  his  death  by  a. judicious  critic,  who 
knew   him   long   and    intimately,   as   "  the    beau-ideal 


CONDUCT  AS  A  BISHOP.  393 

of  a  Methodist  bishop."  It  is  certainly  safe  to  affirm 
that,  from  the  beginning,  the  Church  has  had  no 
bishop  whose  administration  was  more  universally 
acceptable.  Bishop  Morris  was  a  man  of  rare  prac- 
tical wisdom — it  was  usual,  throughout  his  life,  to 
speak  of  him  as  a  man  of  remarkable  common 
sense — and  his  judgment  of  men  and  measures  was 
seldom  at  fault,  and  rarely  questioned.  He  has  been 
referred  to  sometimes  as  a  man  who  had  few,  if  any, 
salient  points,  and  whose  character  is  therefore  not 
easily  defined.  It  is  true,  doubtless,  that  he  had  no 
gift  or  grace  in  marked  prominence,  because  his 
common  sense,  or  practical  wisdom,  prevented  the 
cultivation  of  one  grace  or  talent  at  the  expense  of 
others.  He  was  a  symmetrically  developed  charac- 
ter; he  cultivated  his  mental  and  moral  faculties 
proportionately,  "growing  into  a  perfect  man,  unto 
the  measure  of  the  stature  of  the  fullness  of  Christ." 
And  it  was  this  ability  to  view  all  subjects  periscop- 
ically — from  every  point  of  view — and  to  take  in  the 
true  measure  and  capabilities  of  men  "for  the  work," 
in  a  practical  common-sense  way,  that  made  Bishop 
Morris  so  successful  as  'a  presiding  officer  in  an 
annual  conference.  He  never  departed,  in  estimating 
men  in  the  ministry,  from  the  old  and  safe  Method- 
istic  criterion,  "gifts,  graces,  and  usefulness;"  and 
no  bishop  ever  succeeded  better  in  putting  the  right 
man  in  the  right  place. 

Methodist  ministers  always  felt  safe  when  they 
were  in  his  hands  ;  for  they  knew  him  to  be  inca- 
pable of  using  the  power  of  his  official  position  to 
gratify   a   personal    preference,   or    redress   a  private 


394  LIFE    0F  BISHOP   MORRIS. 

grievance.  His  quick  and  accurate  judgment  of  men, 
his  sterling  honesty,  which  made  it  instinctive  with 
him  to  do  what  he  believed  to  be  right,  his  deep  and 
tender  sympathy  with  his  brethren  in  the  pastorate, 
his  uniform  kindness  of  disposition,  his  perfect  self- 
control,  and  his  inflexible  decision,  were  among  the 
qualities  which  conspired  to  make  him  peculiarly  the 
man  for  the  office  he  filled  for  so  many  years,  with 
so  much  honor  to  himself,  and  so  much  usefulness 
to  the  Church.  It  is  highly  probable,  furthermore, 
that  his  popularity  as  a  presiding  officer  was  enhanced 
not  a  little  by  that  quiet  humor  which,  in  the  words 
of  another,  "as  a  subtle  aroma,  pervaded  and  enliv- 
ened his  private  conversation  and  public  discourse." 
As  the  president  of  a  conference,  he  was  not  in  the 
habit  of  flaunting  his  authority  in  the  faces  of  his 
brethren.  He  affected  no  superiority,  and  was  never 
apparently  much  concerned  about  his  official  dignity. 
He  put  on  no  prelatical  airs,  indeed,  of  any  kind  ; 
for  he  never  felt  that  his  office  lifted  him  above  the 
fellowship  and  sympathy  of  his  brethren.  On  this 
account  he  was  easily  approached  by  preachers  and 
people,  and  his  patience  in  hearing  statements,  and 
sometimes  counter-statements,  was  inexhaustible. 

The  characteristic  of  Bishop  Morris  which,  as 
much  at  least  as  any  other,  accounts  for  his  success, 
was  his  unaffected  humility.  When  the  apostles-  dis- 
puted among  themselves  which  should  be  primate  in 
Christ's  kingdom,  he  taught  them  that  ambition  and 
self-seeking  and  love  of  pre-eminence,  instead  of  gain- 
ing them  preferment  in  his  kingdom,  would  but  post- 
pone their  preferment.     He  that  desires  the  office  of 


MODESTY.  395 

a  bishop  desires  a  good  work,  not  because  it  lifts  him 
above  his  brethren,  but  because  he  is  afforded  an 
opportunity,  as  Saint  Paul  did,  to  "labor  more  abun- 
dantly," and  make  himself  "the  servant  of  all."  The 
extreme  diffidence  and  shrinking  modesty  with  which 
Bishop  Morris  entered  upon  the  work  of  the  min- 
istry— his  painful  and  embarrassing  doubts  about  his 
call  to  the  work,  growing  mainly  out  of  his  deep  con- 
viction of  his  own  unfitness  for  it — the  evident  reluc- 
tance with  which  he  entered  upon  the  office  and  work 
of  a  bishop,  and  his  desire  to  resign  it  at  the  end  of 
his  first  quadrennial  term  ;  and,  in  short,  his  unas- 
suming manner  in  public  and  in  private,  and  his  whole 
course  through  life,  attest  sufficiently  that  he  was 
remarkably  endowed  with  that  rarest  of  the  Christian 
graces,  humility.  As  pastor,  editor,  and  bishop,  he 
held  high  positions  among  his  ministerial  brethren  ; 
but  the  positions  always  sought  him:  he  was  the 
farthest  possible  remove  from  an  ecclesiastical  office- 
seeker.  And  so  meekly  did  he  wear  his  honors,  that 
it  may  be  doubted  seriously  whether  he  ever  excited 
a  feeling  of  envy  in  any  breast.  Bishop  Morris  was, 
in  the  best  sense,  a  progressive  man,  not  one  who 
despised  old  things  because  they  are  old,  but  one 
who,  carefully  studying  the  signs  of  the  times,  could 
see,  in  the  mighty  movements  that  are  going  on  in 
the  world,  evidences  that  the  race  is  yet  in  the  in- 
fancy of  a  glorious  manhood  yet  to  be  developed,  and 
that  the  world's  best  days  are  yet  to  come.  While, 
in  accordance  with  the  universal  tendency  of  old  age, 
he  lingered  much  in  the  past,  and  loved  to  recall  the 
heroic   times  of  Methodism,  yet  he  indulged   in   no 


396  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

gloomy  forebodings  of  the  future,  but  always  ex- 
pressed himself  as  confident  that  still  better  days 
were  in  store  for  the  Church  and  the  world. 

In  his  "Reflections,"  written  on  his  seventy-sixth 
birthday,  and  published  elsewhere  in  this  volume; 
after  speaking  in  glowing  terms  of  the  progress  of 
the  Church  since  he  entered  the  ministry,  he. adds: 
"And  yet  I  see  nothing  in  the  general  aspect  of 
affairs  to  warrant  the  supposition  of  less  success  in 
the  future,  but  much  to  encourage  the  hope  of  in- 
creasing prosperity."  In  the  general  progress  of  the 
country,  in  which  the  Church  necessarily  participates, 
so  far  as  regards  her  material  resources  and  exterior 
accommodations,  changes,  more  or  less  important,  in 
matters  of  mere  form  and  polity,  become  a  necessity. 
At  such  times,  a  conciliatory  and  progressive  policy 
is  the  dictate  alike  of  religion  and  common  sense. 

Thus  when,  a  few  years  ago,  the  question  of  "  Lay 
Representation"  was  reopened,  Bishop  Morris  had 
the  sagacity  to  see  that,  however  premature  some 
former  discussions  of  the  subject  might  have  been, 
yet  now  the  altered  circumstances  of  the  Church 
required  such  a  modification  of  its  government,  and 
accordingly  he  gave  the  measure  his  unqualified  ap- 
proval. Its  overwhelming  success  before  the  laity 
and  the  conferences  was  due  to  the  influence  of  no 
one  name  more  than  to  that  of  the  senior  bishop. 

On  the  question  of  slavery,  also,  Bishop  Morris 
was  doubtless  a  conservative  in  his  early  life.  Born 
and  raised  in  a  Slave  State,  and  for  seven  years  of  his 
ministerial  life  necessarily  in  contact  with  the  system 
in  its  mildest  forms — as  it  existed  in  Kentucky  and 


opinions.  397 

% 
Tennessee — we  are  not  surprised  to  find   that,  while 

he  was  in  no  sense  a  pro-slavery  man,  yet  when 
charged  with  being  "an  Abolitionist,"  as  he  journeyed 
through  the  extreme  South,  he  felt  the  title  to  be, 
and  spoke  of  it  as  being,  the  reverse  of  compliment- 
ary. And  yet  when  the  Church  South  was  organ- 
ized, strong  as  were  the  ties  that  bound  him  to  the 
section  in  which  he  was  born,  and  great  as  were  the 
inducements  held  out  to  him  to  connect  himself  with 
that  organization,  he  did  not  hesitate  or  falter  an 
instant  in  his  allegiance  to  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church.  Like  many  other  wise  and  good  men,  by 
constitutional  temperament  inclined  to  conservative 
views,  Bishop  Morris  was  led  along  by  steps  and 
stages  to  a  full  realization  of  the  enormities  of  slavery, 
and  finally  to  the  conclusion  that  it  was  indeed,  in 
the  language  of  the  wise  and  illustrious  Wesley,  "the 
sum  of  all  villainies." 

And  from  the  hour  when  bloody  treason  fired  on 
Sumter,  through  all  the  dark  and  gloomy  days  of 
the  great  slavery  Rebellion,  the  Star-spangled  Banner 
floated  day  and  night  from  the  flag-staff  of  "Salu- 
bria  ;"  nor  did  any  one  rejoice  more  sincerely  in  the 
final  overthrow  and  complete  extirpation  of  slavery 
than  Bishop  Morris. 

While  always  open  to  conviction,  and  ever  on  the 
alert  for  truth,  and  never  ashamed  to  modify  his 
views  on  sufficient  grounds,  he  was,  at  the  same 
time,  a  man  of  remarkable  firmness.  Always  ready 
to  adopt  new  views  if  they  were  supported  by  reason 
and  sound  argument,  yet  he  had  no  fickleness — no 
fondness  for  change — no  disposition   to  take  up  new 


398  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

things  simply  because  they  were  new.  His  opinions 
were  never  hastily  formed.  His  belief  in  the  Chris- 
tian religion,  and  his  opinions  on  the  great  themes 
of  Revelation,  were  the  result  of  earnest  and  prayer- 
ful consideration.  His  adoption  of  the  creed  of 
Methodism  was  in  consequence  of  a  careful  compar- 
ison of  the  doctrines  therein  taught  with  the  Holy 
Scriptures;  and,  although  the  influence  of  early  train- 
ing, and  the  prevailing  prejudices  of  the  day  would 
stand  as  very  strong  barriers  in  the  way.  of  his  doing 
so,  yet  he  could  not  do  otherwise,  with  his  instinctive 
honesty,  than  become  a  Methodist,  when  satisfied 
that  it  was  his  duty  to  do  so.  He  was  certainly  no 
bigot.  He  recognized  all  Christians  as  fellow-soldiers 
in  the  same  great  army  of  Immanuel,  and  joyfully 
co-operated  with  them  in  every  possible  way  ;  and 
yet  it  was  from  a  very  thorough  conviction  of  their 
truthfulness  and  importance  that  he  uttered  the  fol- 
lowing words,  in  1859,  m  a  sermon  on  "Methodist 
Church  Polity,"  preached  before  the  North  Indiana 
and  Pittsburg  Conferences,  and  published  in  the  same 
year,  at  the  request  of  those  bodies: 

"Brethren,  hold  on  to  your  doctrines,  especially 
of  general  atonement,  the  witness  of  the  Spirit,  and 
of  full  salvation.  Hold  on  to  your  experience  of 
grace.  Hold  on  to  your  Discipline.  Hold  on  to  your 
peculiar  usages,  to  class-meetings,  love-feasts,  con- 
gregational singing,  revival  meetings,  the  mourners'- 
bench,  and  to  kneeling  in  prayer.  Hold  on  to  itin- 
erancy, and,  as  far  as  may  be,  to  the  circuit  system  ; 
to  the  presiding  eldership,  and  to  general  superintend- 
ency.      In  a  word,  hold  on  to  every   thing  essential 


AS  A  PREACHER.  399 

to  the  success  of  Methodism  ;  for  it  has  saved  mill- 
ions now  in  heaven,  and  millions  more  in  Europe 
and  America  who  are  still  heading  for  the  world  of 
light  and  peace  above." 

As  a  preacher,  Bishop  Morris  was  distinguished 
for  clearness,  simplicity,  directness,  and  brevity.  His 
manner  in  the  pulpit  was  quiet,  and  yet  earnest; 
while  his  style  was  conversational,  it  was,  at  the 
same  time,  sufficiently  animated.  In  the  early  days 
of  his  ministry,  before  his  health  was  impaired  by 
repeated  attacks  of  paralysis,  he  was  often  very  elo- 
quent, and  at  times  would  raise  an  audience  to  the 
highest  pitch  of  religious  fervor  and  enthusiasm. 
Drs.  Wright  and  Trimble  both  refer,  in  their  remarks 
made  at  the  funeral,  to  a  sermon  preached  once  at 
Urbana,  during  a  conference  session,  the  effect  of 
which  upon  the  audience  was  very  remarkable  ;  and 
it  is  certain,  from  the  testimony  of  many  others  also, 
that  a  very  unusual  power  often  accompanied  his 
discourses,  even  when  he  seemed  least  to  strive  after 
effect.  Still,  Bishop  Morris  was  never,  perhaps,  what 
would  be  called  a  popular  preacher.  The  work  of  the 
minister  was,  in  his  judgment,  evidently  too  high  and 
holy  and  serious  for  the  employment  of  meretricious 
arts.  He  felt  that  he  had  a  message  from  God  to 
the  people,  and  he  delivered  it  with  the  dignity  and 
solemnity  becoming  an  embassador  of  Christ.  Flights 
of  fancy,  flowers  of  rhetoric,  startling  and  sensational 
declamation,  profundity,  in  the  sense  of  saying  what 
neither  he  nor  others  understood,  and  originality,  in 
the  sense  of  teaching  doctrines  contrary  to  the  Word 
of  God,  however  popular. with  multitudes  of  hearers, 


400  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

are  pulpit  methods  which  Bishop  Morris  could 
scarcely  have  been  tempted  to  employ.  And  yet  his 
printed  sermons  are  worthy  to  be  studied  as  models. 
His  clear,  terse  style;  his  short,  simple,  and  pointed 
sentences  ;  his  sound  theology  and  sound  sense,  con- 
stantly remind  the  reader  of  John  Wesley's  incom- 
parable discourses.  One  peculiarity  of  the  bishop  as 
a  preacher,  and  which  might  well  be  studied  and 
imitated  by  his  successors  in  the  Gospel  ministry, 
was  his  habit  of  closing  when  he  was  done.  Often 
when  the  interest  was  at  its  height,  when  there  was 
no  flagging  of  attention  on  the  part  of  his  hearers, 
and  with  apparent  abruptness  even,  he  would  close 
the  Bible  and  sit  down,  leaving  his  congregation 
wondering  at  the  suddenness  of  the  conclusion. 

Upon  the  whole,  we  may  say  of  Bishop  Morris's 
preaching  as  we  have  said  of  his  character, — it  lacked 
the  salient  points,  perhaps,  which  render  character- 
ization easy  and  obvious.  And  yet  this  very  lack,  so 
to  speak,  was  in  consequence  of  the  fullness  and  com- 
pleteness and  thoroughness  of  his  prepa'ration.  His 
sermons  were  symmetrical,  doctrinal,  practical,  and 
thoroughly  evangelical ;  not  by  chance,  or  because  he 
had  a  genius  for  sermonizing,  but  as  the  result  of 
deep  and  earnest  study.  If  he  preached,  as  he  rarely 
did,  a  sermon  of  considerable  length,  he  was  in  the 
habit  of  saying,  apologetically,  that  his  discourse  was 
unusually  long  because  he  "had  not  had  time  to  make 
it  short."  And  although  his  delivery  of  sermons  was 
always  what  is  called  extemporaneous,  no  one  per- 
haps was  ever  more  painstaking  and  conscientious  in 
preparing  for  the  pulpit. 


AFFECTIONAL  NATURE.  40I 

Bishop  Morris  was  a  man  of  very  strong  local 
attachments  and  warm  personal  friendships,  and  no 
estimate  of  his  character  would  be  just  which  ignored 
his  social  and  affectional  nature.  Amid  all  the  long 
and  weary  journeyings  of  life,  home  was  always  the 
one  dear  spot  to  which  his  '*  heart  untraveled  fondly 
turned."  He  had  many  pleasant  temporary  homes 
among  the  kind  and  generous  people  whom  he  served 
in  various  relations ;  but  " Spice  Flat  Cottage,"  "  Mount 
Olivet,"  "Home  Lodge,"  and  "Salubria,"  were  espe- 
cially dear  to  his  heart.  The  minute  and  humorous 
description  of  the  last-named  place,  given  elsewhere 
in  these  pages,  shows  the  depth  and  tenderness  of 
his  attachment  to  the  home  of  his  old  age.  While 
the  bishop  was  reticent,  almost  to  a  fault,  in  general 
society,  he  was  a  delightful  companion  in  the  circle 
of  his  intimate  personal  friends.  A  vein  of  pleasant 
humor  often  ran  through  his  fireside  talks  which 
made  them  exceedingly  agreeable,  and  he  had  an 
inexhaustible  fund  of  anecdotes,  personal  and  other- 
wise, with  which  he  almost  always  spiced  his  conver- 
sation. But,  while  an  occasional  flash  of  wit  indicated 
latent  stores  of  that  dangerous  weapon,  and  while  his 
quick  and  keen  appreciation  of  the  ludicrous  would 
sometimes  raise  a  laugh  at  the  expense  of  another, 
he  was  the  last  man  in  the  world  to  wound  the  feel- 
ings of  any  one  by  a  mere  wanton  use  of  such  powers. 
Indeed,  the  humor  of  Bishop  Morris  was  not  of  the 
broad,  coarse  kind.  It  pervaded  his  conversation,  in 
the  language  of  Dr.  Merrick,  already  quoted,  as  "a 
subtle  aroma,"  and  was  usually  so  quiet  and  delicate 
in  its  character  that  its  aromatic  flavor  was  lost  by 

34 


402  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

passing  through  too  many  hands.  For  this  reason, 
mainly,  there  has  been  no  attempt  in  this  volume 
to  reproduce  the  numerous  anecdotes  related  of 
Bishop  Morris.  Many  of  them,  aside  from  their  ac- 
cessories, and  disconnected  from  the  circumstances 
which  gave  them  birth,  would  be  pointless  and  un- 
profitable. Besides,  they  are  not  the  things,  however 
innocent  and  proper,  for  which  Bishop  Morris  would 
wish  to  be  remembered. 

Of  his  personal  religious  experience  the  bishop 
spoke  seldom,  and  always  with  great  modesty  and 
reserve.  In  this  respect  he  so  nearly  resembled  an- 
other eminent  senior  bishop — Rev.  Elijah  Hedding, 
D.  D., — that  the  masterly  portraiture  of  the  latter, 
drawn  by  his  distinguished  biographer,  the  late  Bishop 
Clark,  would  apply  equally  well  to  Bishop  Morris. 

"  He  was  a  man  of  deep  and  unaffected  piety. 
His  religion  was  not  devoid  of  feeling  ;  but  it  rested 
rather  upon  the  basis  of  principle  than  of  emotion. 
It  was  at  the  farthest  remove  from  asceticism,  or  that 
repulsive  austerity  which  so  often  makes  religion 
itself  seem  unamiable.  In  him,  trifling  and  levity 
found  no  place  ;  but  cheerfulness — the  genial  sun- 
shine of  the  heart — diffused  its  loveliness  all  around 
him.  There  was  no  self-reliance,  no  confident  nor 
high  professions  ;  but  there  was  what  was  far  better, — 
piety,  silent  but  incessant,  consistent,  deep,  all-per- 
vading ;  working  out  practical  results,  producing 
genuine  fruits,  forming  the  character,  regulating  the 
life.  No  one  can  doubt  his  deep  experience  of  the 
things  of  God  and  of  the  sanctifying  of  the  blood  of 
Jesus.     But    of    this     last    he    avoided    making    any 


MORRIS  AXD  HEDDING  COMPARED.  403 

public  profession.  This  may  have  resulted  as  much 
from  the  extreme  modesty  of  his  nature,  the  poor 
estimate  he  always  formed  of  himself  and  of  his  per- 
formances, and  his  painful  consciousness  of  his  errors 
and  imperfections,  as  from  his  profound  sense  of  the 
high  responsibility  attached  to  such  professions.  He 
may,  too,  have  thought  that  the  profession  that  he 
was  a  sinner,  seeking  salvation  through  the  blood  of 
Jesus,  was  more  fitting  to  his  condition  and  more 
congenial  to  his  feelings  than  any  other." 

This  paragraph,  as  we  have  very  slightly  modified 
it,  might  as  well  have  been  written  originally  for 
Thomas  A.  Morris  as  for  Elijah  Hedding.  Its  writer, 
after  a  life  of  distinguished  usefulness,  died  as  glo- 
riously as  he  had  lived  ;  and  now  his  own  "  Life- 
story "  is  a  rich  addition  to  the  biographical  literature 
of  the  Church.  He,  too,  had  avoided  making  a  pro- 
fession of  great  attainments  in  religion,  in  explanation 
of  which  his  biographer,  Rev.  Daniel  Curry,  D.  D., 
makes  the  following  statement,  which,  no  doubt,  is  a 
fair  presentation  of  the  views  and  feelings  of  Bishop 
Morris  also:  "To  the  doctrine  of  Christian  perfec- 
tion, as  expounded  by  Wesley  in  his  best-matured 
statements,  and  interpreted  by  other  points  in  the 
Wesleyan  theology,  he  yielded  a  most  hearty  assent. 
He  contemplated  a  ripeness  of  Christian  experience 
that,  in  a  qualified  sense,  might  be  called  'perfection,' 
as  not  only  an  ideal  toward  which  Christians  should 
be  always  pressing,  but  as  a  state  of  still-progressing 
grace  that  may  be  reached.  But  his  deep  convictions 
respecting  the  infinite  majesty  and  all-consuming 
holiness  of  God's  law,  and  of  the  exceeding  sinfulness 


404  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

of  sin,  as  it  inheres  in  fallen  souls — his  deep  con- 
sciousness of  his  own  heart's  infirmities,  and  the 
severity  of  his  judgments  upon  himself" — might 
well  make  one  of  his  sensitive  nature  and  extreme 
humility  hesitate  as  to  the  propriety  of  a  particular 
and  prescribed  form  of  professing  it. 

Undoubtedly,  that  sterling  honesty  which  was 
always  a  conspicuous  trait  in  the  character  of  Bishop 
Morris  would  naturally  incline  him  to  great  circum- 
spection in  making  any  profession  of  personal  attain- 
ments which  it  was  not  clearly  his  duty  to  make. 
He  was  of  that  class  of  men  who  would  rather  pro- 
fess too  little  than  too  much  in  regard  to  themselves, 
and  who,  while  conceding  to  others  of  a  different 
mind  the  largest  liberty  as  to  their  forms  of  profes- 
sion, are  at  the  same  time  fully  persuaded  that  a  life 
wholly  given  up  to  the  service  of  God,  and  regulated 
and  governed  by  the  precepts  of  the  Gospel,  is,  after 
all,  one  of  the  best  possible  evidences  of  genuine 
Christian  character. 

Bishop  Morris  was  not  a  demonstrative  man. 
His  religion  exhibited  itself  as  a  uniform,  active, 
holy  principle  of  obedience  to  the  will  of  God  ;  and 
it  permeated  his  whole  life,  private  and  public.  He 
was  "a  doer  of  the  Word,  and  not  a  hearer  only." 
It  was  also  characteristic  of  the  man  to  speak  spar- 
ingly and  modestly  of  himself.  He  had,  in  fact,  a 
deep  dislike  for  whatever  bore  even  the  semblance 
of  egotism  ;  and  for  any  thing  like  mere  ostentatious 
display  or  parade  he  had  a  hearty  and  wholesome 
contempt.  That  such  a  man  should  be  somewhat 
reserved  in  speaking  of  his  religious  attainments,  and 


IN   VIEW  OF  DEATH.  40$ 

the  exercises  and  frames  of  his  mind,  seems  entirely 
natural.  But  there  were  times  when  he  spoke  fully 
and  freely  concerning  his  religious  experience ;  and 
no  one,  perhaps,  ever  enjoyed  a  more  uniform,  tran- 
quil, and  peaceful  state  of  mind. 

His  letter  to  the  Cincinnati  Conference,  dictated 
only  a  few  days  before  he  breathed  his  last,  very 
beautifully  expresses  his  feelings  in  view  of  the  near 
approach  of  death  : 

"  I  find  the  religion  I  so  long  preached  to 
others  is  able  to  bring  peace  and  assurance  to  the 
heart  in  retirement,  as  well  as  when  in  the  heat  of 
battle,  leading  forth  the  conquering  hosts  to  cer- 
tain victory.  Thank  God  for  the  Christian's  hope  ! 
It  comforts  and  sustains  amid  all  the  vicissitudes  of 
life,  and  to  the  trusting  heart  makes  bright  the  future. 
In  reviewing  the  past,  I  have  only  this  to  say,  that 
God  has  been  very  good  to  me.  Most  of  my  associ- 
ates in  the  ministry,  as  well  as  many  loved  ones,  have 
passed  away.  I  yet  linger  on  the  shore,  and  soon 
expect  to  cross  the  river.  I  am  nearing  the  Jordan, 
and  in  the  course  of  nature  can  not  stay  here  much 
longer ;  but  beneath  me  are  the  everlasting  arms, 
and,  through  riches  of  grace  in  Christ  Jesus  my 
Lord,  I  hope  to  anchor  safely  in  the  harbor  of 
eternal  rest." 

This,  which  may  be  regarded  as  the  dying  testi- 
mony of  Bishop  Morris,  is  eminently  characteristic 
of  the  man.  While  it  is  pervaded  throughout  by  a 
spirit  of  humility  as  lovely  as  it  is  rare,  it  is,  at  the 
same  time,  the  blessed  language  of  the  full  assurance 
of  faith  and  hope  ;  an  assurance  so  strong  and  com- 


406  LIFE   OF  BISHOP  MORRIS. 

forting,  even    down   to   the   last   moment  of   his  life, 
that    he    could    say,    with    his    dying    breath,    "  The 

FUTURE    LOOKS    BRIGHT." 

The  life  of  Bishop  Morris  is  of  special  interest 
to  the  communion  he  served  with  so  much  fidelity 
and  for  so  long  a  period  of  time,  for  the  reason  that 
he  is  the  last  of  the  general  superintendents  whose 
personal  experience  extends  far  back  into  what  is 
often  and  very  properly  called  the  heroic  period  of 
Methodism.  At  his  birth,  the  Methodists  of  the 
United  States,  white  and  colored,  numbered  less 
than  severity  thousand  ;  he  lived  to  see  them  a  great 
and  powerful  section  of  the  grand  army  of  Imman- 
uel — three  million  strong.  And  the  reader  of  this 
biography  will  not  need  to  be  told  that,  in  promoting 
this  wonderful  growth,  few  men  were  more  efficient 
than  Thomas  A.  Morris. 

His  life  embraced  a  most  interesting  period  of 
the  history  both  of  the  country  and  of  the  Church. 
His  official  responsibilities  were  accepted  with  the 
modesty  which  is  always  characteristic  of  real  merit, 
and  discharged  with  the  fidelity  and  courage  of  a 
hero.  On  the  episcopal  bench  a  place  is  vacant 
which  can  not  be  easily  filled  ;  for  his  wisdom  in 
council  was  the  most  distinguishing  feature  of  his 
long  career  as  a  bishop.  Always  recognized  and  ap- 
preciated by  the  Church,  even  down  to  his  extreme 
old  age,  this  quality  of  his  mind  was  of  special  and 
incalculable  service  in  those  early  and  formative 
days  of  Methodism  in  which  he  bore  so  prominent 
a  part. 

And    now,   the   story   of  his    eventful  life,  of  his 


CLOSE  OF  THE  RECORD.         *  407 

early  struggles  and  sufferings,  of  his  incessant  labors, 
of  his  extensive  journeyings,  of  his  strange  adven- 
tures, of  his  dangerous  exposures,  will  read,  even  to 
many  of  this  generation,  more  like  a  tale  of  romance 
than  of  reality.  And,  as  we  close  this  record,  we 
seem  to  have  reached  the  end  of  one  distinct  and 
unique  period  in  the  annals  of  American  Methodism  ; 
an  epoch  made  memorable  for  all  time,  in  ecclesiastical 
history,  by  names  that  were  not  born  to  die. 


THE   END. 


COLUMBIA  UNIVERSITY 


0035521520 


tftf>3 


WIG 

938.6  M833 


«&*" 


